The pontiff continues to be under medical care at a Rome hospital as his health undergoes evaluation.
**Pope Francis to Miss Weekend Events Due to Health Concerns**
**Pope Francis to Miss Weekend Events Due to Health Concerns**
Pope's ongoing hospitalization for respiratory infection leads to cancellation of engagements.
Pope Francis will be absent from several scheduled events this weekend due to health concerns, as announced by the Vatican on Tuesday. The pontiff is currently hospitalized at Policlinico A. Gemelli in Rome, where he was admitted on Friday for assessment of a “complex clinical picture” characterized by a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection. The Vatican confirmed on Monday that Pope Francis’s condition is stable and that he does not have a fever.
As a result of his health issues, Pope Francis will not attend the scheduled celebration for deacons on Saturday nor the Mass on Sunday, delegating his responsibilities to a Vatican prelate. This is the second cancellation within a week, following his absence from an event for artists at the Vatican last week.
This marks the fourth hospitalization for the pope at Gemelli hospital. In 2021, he underwent colon surgery there, and in 2023, he was treated for a respiratory infection but was discharged after three days. He was also admitted for abdominal surgery related to a hernia a few months later. Additionally, last February he underwent diagnostic tests following a mild flu.
Historically, Pope Francis has faced various health challenges, having had the upper lobe of his right lung removed during his youth, which makes him susceptible to respiratory illnesses, particularly in winter. His mobility has also been affected by ongoing knee problems and sciatica, necessitating the use of a wheelchair, walker, or cane.
As the pontiff's health concerns coincide with the Jubilee year, which began on Christmas Eve and is expected to draw millions of pilgrims to the Vatican over the next ten months, there is a heightened focus on his health management in the coming weeks.
As a result of his health issues, Pope Francis will not attend the scheduled celebration for deacons on Saturday nor the Mass on Sunday, delegating his responsibilities to a Vatican prelate. This is the second cancellation within a week, following his absence from an event for artists at the Vatican last week.
This marks the fourth hospitalization for the pope at Gemelli hospital. In 2021, he underwent colon surgery there, and in 2023, he was treated for a respiratory infection but was discharged after three days. He was also admitted for abdominal surgery related to a hernia a few months later. Additionally, last February he underwent diagnostic tests following a mild flu.
Historically, Pope Francis has faced various health challenges, having had the upper lobe of his right lung removed during his youth, which makes him susceptible to respiratory illnesses, particularly in winter. His mobility has also been affected by ongoing knee problems and sciatica, necessitating the use of a wheelchair, walker, or cane.
As the pontiff's health concerns coincide with the Jubilee year, which began on Christmas Eve and is expected to draw millions of pilgrims to the Vatican over the next ten months, there is a heightened focus on his health management in the coming weeks.
