On Feb. 14, 2025, doctors hospitalized Pope Francis for bronchitis, which later led to double pneumonia. Doctors also reportedly treated the 88-year-old pope for a complex lung infection and placed him on a ventilator throughout his hospitalization.

Pope Francis was hospitalized on Feb. 14 after suffering a bout of bronchitis for weeks and after increasingly finding it hard to speak publicly.

The 88-year-old pope has remained stable, with no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors said.

The Vatican says Pope Francis is responding well to therapy for double pneumonia and has shown a “gradual, slight improvement” in recent days.

Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) has thanked medical doctors and healthcare workers for their service and tenderness of care for him and others.

Pope Francis addressed his flock via an audio recording Thursday for the first time since he was admitted last month to the hospital.

In his absence, the Vatican’s day-to-day operations continued, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrating Mass for an anti-abortion group in St Peter’s Basilica