Pope Francis Suffers Respiratory Crisis Amid Pneumonia Battle, Vatican Says

The Vatican reported that Pope Francis experienced a sudden respiratory decline on Friday, requiring urgent medical intervention and non-invasive ventilation.

Pope Francis looks on as he leads Vespers on the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, in Rome, on Jan. 25, 2025. Yara Nardi/Reuters

Pope Francis suffered a sudden respiratory deterioration on Friday due to an isolated bronchospasm, the Vatican announced.

The 88-year-old pontiff, who has been battling bilateral pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, experienced an episode of vomiting that led to aspiration, worsening his condition, according to a Feb. 28 statement from the Holy See Press Office.

Doctors promptly administered bronchial aspiration to clear the pope’s airways and initiated non-invasive mechanical ventilation. The Vatican reports that the treatment improved the pontiff’s oxygen levels.

Despite the respiratory crisis, the pope remained alert and oriented throughout the ordeal, cooperating with medical staff. However, the Vatican cautioned that he is not yet out of danger, and the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical in assessing the impact of the episode on his recovery.

“The prognosis, therefore, remains guarded,” the Holy See Press Office said.

Earlier in the day, before the bronchospasm, the pope had alternated between respiratory physiotherapy and prayer in the hospital chapel. He also received the Eucharist.

This latest setback is not the first since the Pope’s hospitalization nearly three weeks ago. On Saturday, he experienced a prolonged asthma-like incident and required the use of high-flow oxygen.

Responding to today’s incident, doctors equipped the pope with a non-invasive mask to support his breathing rather than inserting a breathing tube into his airway. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation is typically administered through a face mask, nasal mask, or helmet.

“Thanks to non-invasive mechanical ventilation, gas exchange values are reported to have returned to levels similar to those before the episode,” the Vatican said in the Feb. 28 statement.

As a young man, the pope underwent surgery to remove part of one lung following a severe pulmonary infection, and he has since been prone to recurring bouts of bronchitis, particularly during the winter months.

Given his advanced age, frail health, and longstanding respiratory issues, concerns have arisen about the potential consequences should his condition worsen, raising questions about the Vatican’s course of action if he were to become unconscious or incapacitated.

On Feb. 18, the Vatican confirmed the pope had developed pneumonia in both lungs, describing his condition as complex based on laboratory tests, thoracic X-rays, and clinical assessments.

By Feb. 22, Vatican officials stated that the pontiff remained in critical condition and was “not out of danger.”

On Thursday, the Vatican news service reported that although the pope remained on high-flow oxygen therapy, his condition showed “slight improvement.”

As news of Pope Francis’s health struggles have spread, global leaders and religious figures continue to offer prayers and well wishes. Earlier on Friday, Vice President JD Vance addressed the pope’s condition at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, leading attendees in prayer for his recovery.