The head of the Roman Catholic Church has been placing key allies into positions, as concerns about his continued health have grown amid a ‘complex’ respiratory infection
Pope Francis’ health took a turn on Monday after his doctors warned that his bronchitis has advanced into a “polymicrobial infection” that is presenting medics with a “complex clinical picture”. Reports have indicated that the progressive religious leader is “seriously worried” that he won’t make it and is trying to secure some of his reforms ahead of a potential conclave to pick the church’s next leader.
Sources close to the Pope told Politico that the head of the Roman Catholic religion had been suffering “intense pain” as a result of the infection, adding that the 88-year-old had privately “expressed fears” that he might not pull through his present illness. After being forced to abandon his regular Sunday sermon by medics, one person close to the situation disclosed that he is now acting entirely on “doctor’s orders.”
The Pope was admitted to a respiratory ward in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Friday for treatment, but is understood to have undergone a change in medication in recent days as his condition has worsened. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni has not given a timetable for his recovery and instead stated that he “will require an appropriate hospital stay.”
In recent weeks, the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics has been keen to secure his progressive legacy amid his worsening health, appointing reform-minded allies to key positions. On Friday, as his condition got worse, he made a nun, sister Raffaella Petrini, the first-ever woman to be Governor of Vatican City.
At the start of February, with an eye to a potential conclave to decide on his successor, he also extended the term of ally Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re as the dean of the College of Cardinals – a position that oversees the preparations to select a new pope.
This could mean Francis’ successor following in his reform-minded footsteps, with a more liberal approach to women in the church and LGBT issues. One of the Vatican sources that spoke to Politico explained: “The run-up to the conclave is more important as that’s where lobbying goes on.”
Even if Francis pulls through his current infection, insiders are marking his hospital stay as a turning point in his leadership. Another official said: “He may not die now but of course he eventually will. We all die — and he’s an 88-year-old man with lung problems.”
This is the fourth time that the Pontifex Maximus, a title held by the papacy since the days of the Roman Empire, has been admitted to hospital since his election in 2013.
Francis has suffered health issues for most of his life, first having most of a lung removed as a young man after a pulmonary infection, and has suffered with winter bouts of bronchitis in the years since. In 2021, he had part of his large intestine removed and has, at times, used a wheelchair or cane due to problems with his knee ligaments.
A statement released by the Holy See on Monday asked for Catholics to pray for their pontiff. It stated: “Pope Francis is touched by the numerous messages of affection and closeness that he has been receiving in recent hours; he especially wants to extend his thanks to those who are hospitalized at this time, for the affection and love they have expressed through drawings and messages of good wishes; he prays for them and asks that they pray for him.”
At the same time on Monday, Pope Francis welcomed artists and pilgrims to the holy city ahead of a series of cultural events from his hospital bed, but apologised for not being able to greet them in person. The Holy Father said: “I would have liked to be among you but, as you know, I am here at the Gemelli Hospital because I still need some treatment for my bronchitis.”
He added: “I would like to thank the doctors and healthcare workers in this hospital for their care: they do such a valuable and tiring job”