Pope Francis "gradually improving" after treatment for infection
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Vatican said Thursday that Pope Francis had "rested well" overnight after being hospitalized with a respiratory infection, and that "his clinical picture is gradually improving and he is continuing his planned treatment."
"This morning after breakfast, he read some newspapers and resumed work. Before lunch, he went to the little chapel of the private [hospital] apartment where he prayed and he received the Eucharist," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement.
The Vatican said late Wednesday that the pope had checked into Rome's Gemelli hospital complaining of difficulty breathing and that the 86-year-old pontiff would need a few days of treatment at the facility. He does not have COVID-19, according to the Vatican.
The 86-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church has been having trouble breathing in recent days.
He will spend the next few days at this hospital in Rome.
Doctors removed part of a lung when he was 21 years old because of a respiratory infection.
Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Perez issued a statement that reads in part:
"The universal church is deeply blessed by his ministry. He is a man of deep compassion, humility, and strength. The Philadelphia region will always share a special bond with Pope Francis in gratitude for his visit to our city in 2015."
The hospitalization marks Francis' first since he spent 10 days at Rome's Gemelli hospital in July 2021 to have 13 inches of his colon removed.
Bruni told CBS News Francis had been suffering breathing troubles in recent days and went to the Gemelli for tests.
"Pope Francis is touched by the many messages received and expresses his gratitude for the closeness and prayer," Bruni said in a statement.
It immediately raised questions about Francis' overall health, and his ability to celebrate the busy Holy Week events that are due to begin this weekend with Palm Sunday.
"The tests showed a respiratory infection (COVID-19 infection excluded) that will require some days of medical therapy," Bruni said.
Francis appeared in relatively good form during his regularly scheduled general audience earlier Wednesday, though he grimaced strongly while getting in and out of the "popemobile."
Francis had part of one lung removed when he was a young man due to a respiratory infection, and he often speaks in a whisper. But he got through the worst phases of the COVID-19 pandemic without at least any public word of ever testing positive.
Francis had been due to celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend, kicking off the Vatican's Holy Week observances: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and finally Easter Sunday on April 9. He has canceled all audiences through Friday, but it wasn't clear whether he could keep the Holy Week plans.
