Pope Francis has warned that he may not survive his latest health scare and is “rushing to tie up loose ends” according to reports
Politico reported late Monday evening that the 88-year-old leader of the Catholic Church has been hospitalised, after being told he’d run the risk of dying if he stayed put a the Vatican. The outlet said Francis has been suffering from intense pain in recent days, and has been looking to put his affairs in order “ahead of the battle to succeed him”.
The Vatican confirmed on Tuesday that fresh tests have diagnosed Francis with bilateral pneumonia, and he is also taking cortisone and an antibiotic for asthmatic bronchitis.
The pontiff has been diagnosed with a number of ailments
It said: “Laboratory tests, a chest X-ray, and the Holy Father’s clinical condition continue to present a complex picture.”
A spate of public event cancellations has accompanied the Pope’s illness, with the latest announcement from the Vatican revealing his incapability to meet his commitments this coming weekend.
Politico reported that Francis was “distressed” when medical professionals forbidden him to perform the weekly Angelus sermon on Sunday, but he has since relented and is now following doctors’ orders.
In addition to Francis reportedly expressing “certainty he won’t make it this time,” Politico pointed to a series of recent moves that indicate he is preparing as if his succession will take place sooner rather than later.
One of his key decisions was made on February 6 prior to his hospital admission, when he extended the term of his long-standing ally Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re as dean of the College of Cardinals.
In this capacity, Re would spearhead some preparations for a future papal conclave, where cardinals will gather at the Sistine Chapel to elect a successor.
Insiders told Politico that Francis’ move to prolong Re’s term sidestepped a scheduled vote by senior cardinals to select the next dean, and was designed to ensure the papal succession proceeds according to his preferences.
Rome-based newspaper la Repubblica reported on Tuesday that the Vatican – which stated on Monday that Francis is in stable condition without a fever – deems media reports implying a critical state of health for Francis as “fake news not worth formally responding to”.
The publication reported that Francis is currently bed-bound and kept in a sterile environment where he does not entertain guests outside of his close circle and medical team.
“He may not die now but of course he eventually will,” one Vatican official told Politico. “We all die—and he’s an 88-year-old man with lung problems.”
Francis has led the Roman Catholic Church since 2013, and won praise in progressive quarters for making the Church more inclusive in rhetoric and practice.
He has notably appointed women to several top roles within the Church’s ranks, voiced that the LGBT+ community is embraced in the faith, and taken a stand against anti-gay legislation.
“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” he said in 2023.