28.03.2025 11:51
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin announced that Vatican President Pope Francis, who underwent treatment for bilateral pneumonia in the hospital for 38 days and came close to death twice during this time, will return to governance. Parolin stated, "Perhaps not in the same way as before, we will need to find different ways, but I believe he can do it."
The Vatican Secretary of State (Prime Minister) Cardinal Pietro Parolin made a statement to journalists regarding the health condition of the spiritual leader of Catholics and the President of the Vatican, Pope Francis, who was hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 due to severe bronchitis, treated for 38 days with a diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia, and discharged on March 23. Parolin stated that the Pope would return to governance, although not as before.
RETURNING TO GOVERNANCE
Cardinal Parolin said, "I constantly receive messages that 'prayers are being said for his full recovery and return to the governance of the Church.' Perhaps not as before, we will need to find different ways, but I believe he can do it."
CALL FOR ISRAEL AND HAMAS TO SOLVE THE ISSUE WITHOUT RESORTING TO WEAPONS
Addressing international issues, Cardinal Parolin expressed hope for genuinely positive results regarding a ceasefire in Ukraine. While not hiding his disappointment over the breakdown of the temporary ceasefire in Gaza, he called on both Israel and Hamas to be moderate and to resolve the issue without resorting to weapons.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Pope Francis had stated that he suffered from bronchitis and had difficulty breathing during two public events on February 9 and 12, and he had asked his aides to read his speeches. It was reported that the Pope was hospitalized on February 14 due to a polymicrobial infection in his respiratory tract.
The Vatican announced on February 18 that the Pope had developed bilateral pneumonia and that his clinical condition presented a complex picture. On February 28, the Vatican reported that the Pope, who had experienced a bronchospasm crisis, underwent bronchoaspiration, mechanical ventilation was initiated, and he responded positively to treatment.
The spiritual leader of Catholics experienced acute respiratory failure twice on March 3, and non-invasive mechanical ventilation was resumed. Starting from March 4, the Pope began to show signs of slight improvement, and the last chest X-ray taken on March 12 confirmed the improvements recorded in the previous days radiologically. Pope Francis was discharged on March 23 after greeting the public from the hospital balcony.
Prof. Sergio Alfieri stated in an interview with Corriere della Sera on March 25 that the Pope had come close to death twice during his hospitalization.