Pope Francis hospitalized with bronchitis, Vatican says

Pope Francis has been hospitalized in Rome on Friday, as he undergoes treatment for ongoing bronchitis, the Vatican said.

The 88-year-old was admitted to the hospital following his morning audiences, the Vatican added.

What do we know about the pope's condition?

Francis had been breathless in recent days, delegating officials to read his speeches, the French AFP news agency reported.

"This morning, at the end of his audiences, Pope Francis was admitted to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue his treatment for bronchitis, which is still ongoing, in a hospital environment," the Vatican said in a statement.

Having been admitted to Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic, Francis was in good spirits and had read some newspapers during his time at the hospital, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

In an evening bulletin, the Vatican said preliminary tests showed Francis had a respiratory tract infection, was running a mild fever and was in "fair" condition at Gemelli where he was undergoing drug therapy.

Earlier this month, the pope told pilgrims attending a weekly audience he was suffering from a "strong cold." The Vatican later described it as bronchitis. He has resumed his activities and audiences indoors at Casa Santa Marta since the bronchitis diagnosis.

Francis' ongoing health problems

Francis has battled long bouts of bronchitis before, as well as other health problems. 

Having had part of his lungs removed as a young man, the Argentine pope suffered two separate cases of bronchitis in 2023 alone. In March 2023, he was hospitalized for three nights, then in December that same year, he cancelled a visit to the United Nations COP28 climate conference in Dubai.

Pope Francis has also suffered knee and hip pain, relying on a walker or cane when moving around. He fell twice recently, hurting his arm and chin. He also recently suffered from an inflamed colon.

Edited by: Alex Berry, Wesley Dockery