The Pope " even gets out of bed and sits in an armchair ." This is what we learn from Vatican sources, according to which Francis - who was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia - " spent a quiet night , woke up and had breakfast " and is not receiving supplemental oxygen , at least in a stable form, he is "self-ventilated." The same sources emphasize that " the Pope's heart is holding up very well ."
A new bulletin with medical updates will be released this afternoon. We also learn that the absolute rest that has been prescribed to the Pontiff requires that he receive no visitors, apart from those of direct collaborators who submit papers and documents to him.
The Pontiff's condition therefore remains stable, albeit in a critical situation, given the diagnosis of pneumonia - which came after the CT scan Bergoglio underwent yesterday at the Gemelli hospital - and his age .
The problem, as is being made known, is that Francis arrived at the hospital "strongly immunosuppressed" due to the cortisone therapy that preceded his hospitalization and which was intended to facilitate his breathing. He is also very tired, since despite his illness he held two general audiences and celebrated a mass in St. Peter's Square , Sunday, February 9, remaining outdoors for over two hours. And so the bronchial infection worsened until it degenerated into pneumonia.
Bergoglio had already faced pneumonia in March 2023 , when he felt ill after a general audience and was rushed to the Gemelli hospital. At that time too, there was talk at first of bronchitis, but Francis himself later revealed that it had been "an acute and severe pneumonia, in the lower part of the lungs."
In the meantime, the pilgrimage of the faithful continues : yesterday , dozens gathered in prayer in front of the hospital , where a large rainbow also appeared in the middle of the afternoon . There were many drawings and messages of encouragement that the children wanted to send to the Pope.
(Unioneonline/vl)
