Pope without the prospect of soon dismissal

Sick pontifex

Pope without the prospect of soon dismissal

Francis has been in the hospital for almost a week: pneumonia. Despite the reserved positive signals, it is uncertain how long it has to stay. Supposedly he jokes again.

After almost a week in the hospital, Pope Francis still has no prospect of dismissal soon. Since the diagnosis of pulmonary inflammation on both sides, positive signals have been reluctant to have been reluctant to get from the Vatican for the first time. But it is still uncertain how long the 88-year-old still has to be treated inpatient. Francis has been in the Gemelli Hospital in Rome since Friday last week.

On Wednesday evening it was said in a new bulletin that his condition was “stable”. Blood tests also indicated a “easy improvement”, especially with the inflammatory values. According to the Vatican, the night was “peaceful”. Francis got up, had breakfast in an armchair and then also worked in his room, it said.

The head of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide had been noted for weeks that he is increasingly creating health. In public dates, he complained of breathing difficulties and sometimes coughed violently. Only after a long hesitation did he choose the treatment in the hospital. According to information from his surroundings, he actually wanted to avoid this.

First, the Vatican spoke of bronchitis. Later, the doctors diagnosed an infection of the airways with various pathogens. There was also talk of a “complex clinical picture”. On Tuesday, the Vatican announced the finding of pneumonia.

The doctors prescribed absolute calm. Only the closest employees are allowed to him. The most prominent other visitor has so far been Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was with him for 20 minutes on Wednesday. Then she reported: “We were joking as always. He did not lose his proverbial humor.”

According to information from the newspaper “Corriere della Sera”, Francis to Meloni said: “The doctors said that I have to pay attention to my health. Otherwise I would come directly to the sky.” With a view to speculation that he was already in dying, he said: “I know that there are people out there who say that my time has come.” Rumors about his death have been circulating on the Internet for days.

It is unclear how long Francis still has to stay in the hospital. Despite the slight improvement of some blood values, all appointments for the coming days have been canceled. This year Francis actually has a tight schedule: the Holy Year is currently running with numerous large pilgrimage events and trade fairs. Some had to be painted.

The concern among believers is great. Pneumonia is considered dangerous for people of old age – also because there is a risk that further organs will be affected. In the event of previous illnesses, it can be life -threatening. Francis is more difficult for him to remove the upper part of his right lungs a long time ago.

Before the Gemelli Clinic in Rome, worn -related believers gather – they pray and pause in front of a statue of Francis by Francis “previous Pope John Paul II. People put candles and flowers there.

At the age of 88, Francis is now the second oldest Pope in history. As the successor to Pope Benedict XVI. He has been in office since March 2013. Only Pope Leo XIII. became even older according to the records of the Vatican: the Italian died in 1903 at the age of 93. Francis “predecessor, bourgeois Joseph Ratzinger, became 95, but resigned years before his death.