Pope Francis admitted to hospital: A look at previous hospitalizations and health problems

Pope Francis was admitted to a hospital in Rome on Friday morning for diagnostic tests and continued treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican confirmed.

“This morning, at the end of the audiences, Pope Francis was admitted to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue his treatment for bronchitis,” the Vatican said in a statement.

The 88-year-old pontiff has experienced recurring influenza and other health concerns over the past two years. In 2021, he underwent surgery for diverticulitis, a painful intestinal condition, and again in 2023 to repair a hernia.

Read More: Who is Pope Francis? Age, Wife, Parents and Wikipedia

Last month, the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics appeared in a sling after injuring his right forearm in a fall at his residence, according to Reuters. The Vatican stated that he did not suffer any broken bones. This incident came just weeks after he bruised his face in another fall in December, the news agency reported.

In his autobiography, Hope, published last month, Pope Francis seemed to dismiss concerns about his health, writing, “I am well,” according to Reuters. He acknowledged his age, saying, “The reality is, quite simply, that I am old.”

The pope, who frequently uses a wheelchair due to persistent knee and back pain, emphasized in his book that “the Church is governed using the head and the heart, not the legs.”

Read More: Video of Elon Musk’s son mimicking Trump goes viral