Pope Francis ‘resting’ after new breathing crisis

Pope Francis, in hospital for two weeks with pneumonia, spent a peaceful night after suffering a breathing crisis, says the Vatican as Catholics pray for his recovery.

Pope Francis holds a meeting in Lisbon during a five-day visit to attend the World Youth Day events in Portugal in 2023. Picture: AFP

Pope Francis, hospitalised for two weeks with pneumonia in both lungs, spent a peaceful night after suffering a breathing crisis, the Vatican said on Saturday.

“The Pope spent a peaceful night and is resting,” it said in a statement reported by AFP.

The 88-year-old pontiff was put on a ventilator because of a breathing “crisis” on Friday, the Vatican said.

Earlier in what was described as “a hard day”, the Pope had to receive non-invasive mechanical ventilation around 2pm on Friday as he vomited and then couldn’t breathe, the Vatican said.

The 88-year-old has been battling double pneumonia in Rome’s Gemelli hospital for the past fortnight, and it had appeared in recent days that his critical condition had stabilised with some slight improvement.

“The Pope spent a peaceful night and is resting,” the Holy See said in a statement on Saturday reported by AFP.

A Vatican source said: “There have been no crises like yesterday. The Pope woke up, had breakfast, and read the papers as usual”.

The Vatican source said the Pope’s prognosis of “reserved” had not been modified.

His doctors said it would take the next 24 to 48 hours to see if this breathing trouble has worsened his condition or not, a Vatican source said.

The pontiff is “not out of danger” but was “in good spirits”, the source added.

Medical experts have warned that Francis’s age and the chronic respiratory disease from which he suffers mean a sustained recovery will take time.

The Pope, head of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics, had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man and has suffered increasing health problems in recent years.

He is prone to bronchitis and suffers from hip and knee pain which has made him reliant on a wheelchair.

Nonetheless, Francis has continued to work from the special hospital suite on the Gemelli’s 10th floor.

He also has been doing breathing exercises in between resting and praying, according to the Vatican.

In recent evenings senior members of the Catholic Church have been hosting special prayers for the Pope’s health and another will be held on Saturday evening.

The Vatican said earlier: “This [Friday] afternoon, after a morning spent alternating respiratory physiotherapy with prayer in the chapel, the Holy Father presented an isolated attack of bronchospasm which, however, led to an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of his respiratory condition.

“The Holy Father was promptly aspirated and started on non-invasive mechanical ventilation, with a good response on gas exchange.”