Pope declares he has ‘bronchitis’ and again asks for his speech to be read

In the Blessing Hall of the Apostolic Palace, before Vatican judges celebrating the inauguration of the Judicial Year, Pope Francis interrupted his speech several times due to a severe cough. To this end, he finally asked his collaborator, Monsignor Filippo Ciampanelli, official of the Secretariat of State, to read out the speech he had prepared, as he had done on previous days.

“Thank you all, I’ve prepared a speech, but I can’t read it because of bronchitis,” he admitted in a hoarse voice.

Despite fatigue and physical weakness, Francisco accomplished everything he had planned for this Saturday. In addition to meeting with Vatican judges, the pope also met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Apostolic Palace and discussed the situation in Gaza and Ukraine with him.

Last Wednesday, the Vatican press office confirmed two hours after the announcement in Italian media that the pope had been transferred to the headquarters of the Gemelli Hospital in the center of Trastevere to undergo some medical tests and rule out any illness caused by a mild flu. complication. forcing him to take Monday and Saturday off. However, he did not disclose details of the medical tests conducted.

“Normal” testing

Reuters later revealed that he underwent a computed tomography (CAT) scan, a medical test used to diagnose serious illnesses and prepare for medical or radiation treatment. However, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said on Thursday that the pope “feels well” and that the medical examination was “routine.”

On Saturday, February 24, the Pope was forced to suspend all appointments and resume his activities after a Lenten spiritual break. The next day he usually prays the Angelus on the balcony of the Apostolic Palace, but on Monday he again canceled his commitment.

Francisco had been plagued by lung problems all winter. In November, due to lung inflammation, he had to suspend his schedule for several days and pray the Angelus in his private chapel at Casa Santa Marta, avoiding exposing himself to the windows overlooking St. Peter’s Square. That time, he went to the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where they performed a CT scan and ruled out the possibility that he had serious lung disease. The difference is that this time the Vatican Press Office readily provided an explanation of the medical tests performed and the results of the diagnosis. At that time, the Pope finally canceled his planned trip to Dubai to attend the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Climate Summit based on the advice of the medical team.