ROME
Pope Francis is still not out of danger as he receives treatment for a polymicrobial infection at Gemelli Hospital, but his medical team reassured the public on Friday that his condition is not life-threatening.
Professor Sergio Alfieri, one of the doctors overseeing the pope’s care, addressed reporters, clarifying that while the pontiff’s health remains serious, there is no immediate risk to his life.
“Is he out of danger? No. But if the question is ‘Is he in danger of death?’, the answer is ‘no,'” Alfieri confirmed.
The 88-year-old pope is being treated for double pneumonia and requires intermittent oxygen support, though he is able to breathe on his own and eat without assistance.
His condition will continue to be closely monitored in the coming days to assess how he responds to the ongoing treatment.
Doctors expect the pope to remain hospitalized at least through next week. The Vatican has requested prayers for his recovery.
This is the fourth time the Argentine pope has been hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital.
In 2021, he had colon surgery there, while he was treated for a respiratory infection in 2023, leaving the hospital after three days. He was then hospitalized a few months later to undergo abdominal surgery for a hernia.
‘Pope may resign if he can no longer communicate’
Pope Francis might resign if he faces serious challenges in fulfilling his duties, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi told Italian radio RTL 102.5 on Thursday.
“There is no doubt that, if he found himself in a situation in which his ability to have direct contacts—as he loves to do—to be able to communicate in an immediate, incisive, and decisive way was compromised, then I believe he could decide to resign,” said Ravasi.
He noted the pope’s “tendency to fight” but acknowledged the complexity of his health, which recently saw him hospitalized with pneumonia.
Francis has been hospitalized multiple times in recent years, fueling speculation about his possible resignation.
