(LONDON and ROME) — Pope Francis is being admitted to hospital on Friday for “necessary tests” and to continue his ongoing bronchitis treatment, the Vatican said.
“This morning, at the end of the audiences, Pope Francis will be admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue in a hospital setting [his] treatment for bronchitis that is still ongoing,” the Vatican said in a statement released on Friday morning.
The Pope had some scheduled private audiences this morning, as he has most days, and will make his way to the hospital after his audiences have been received.
Just last month, Pope Francis fell and injured his arm in his residence, the Vatican said in January.
“Pope Francis suffered a bruise to his right forearm, without fractures,” the Vatican said in a statement in Italian. “The arm was immobilized as a precautionary measure.”
The pontiff, 88, was seen in a photo released by the Vatican after the incident with his arm in a soft sling.
Earlier this month, Pope Francis tripped while entering the Vatican auditorium for an audience when the handle of his walking stick broke but he was able to stop himself from falling.
The pope often has been known to use a wheelchair or a cane due to bad knees and has fallen twice in the past two months.
Just two days ago during his weekly general audience, Pope Francis paused and said, “me, with my bronchitis, I cannot (read) still” “I hope that next time I can,” before an aide aide finished the reading.
The pope was diagnosed with bronchitis last Thursday.
Friday’s hospitalization comes ahead of a packed schedule of events this weekend to mark the Catholic church’s jubilee year and, as a result of his medical condition, the jubilee audience for Saturday has been cancelled, the Vatican said.
“The Holy Mass on the occasion of the Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture on Sunday, Feb. 16, will be presided over by His Eminence Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, while the meeting with artists, scheduled for Monday at Cinecittà, is cancelled due to the Pope’s inability to attend,” the Vatican confirmed.
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