Pope Francis’ worsening health causes worries over succession battle, pontiff is sensing ‘death’

Pope Francis deteriorating health has got him worried over the succession battle to his post, prompting him to rush and tie up the loose ends.

The Vatican on Tuesday said that the 88-year-old pontiff has the onset of double pneumonia, which indicates the worsening condition of his fragile health, a Reuters report said.

Pope Francis’ Health

The Pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 and he has been suffering from a severe respiratory infection, bronchitis, for more than a week. According to the Vatican, Pope Francis underwent a chest CAT scan on Tuesday which revealed “the onset of bilateral pneumonia that requires further pharmacological therapy”.

A bilateral pneumonia is a serious infection that can cause inflammation and scarring to both the lungs, making breathing a much more difficult task.

“Laboratory tests, chest X-ray, and the clinical condition of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture,” the Vatican said, reiterating that the Pope was suffering from a “polymicrobial infection”.

The Vatican further noted that the infection requires corticosteroid and antibiotic therapy, which was “making treatment more challenging”.

“Nevertheless, Pope Francis remains in good spirits,” the statement added.

A polymicrobial infection occurs when two or more micro-organisms are involved and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

The Pope is susceptible to lung infections because as a young adult he had developed pleurisy and had to get part of one lung removed.

Earlier, a Vatican official, who Reuters said declined to be named, had said that the pontiff was not put on a ventilator and was breathing on his own.

On Monday, the Vatican said the doctors had changed Pope Francis’ drug therapy for the second time during his hospital stay to tackle a “complex clinical situation”.

Tying up loose ends

Though the Vatican has said that the Pope will stay in the hospital for as long as necessary, two people familiar with the matter said that he has been suffering from intense pain and privately stated that ‘he won’t make it this time’, a Politico report said.

Another person also noted that initially the Pope has resisted going to the hospital when his health began deteriorating. However, he was clearly told that he was at a risk of dying if stayed in his Vatican room.

Since his health has been suffering over the past month, Pope Francis had also moved to complete several initiatives, including the appointment of sympathetic figures to key posts at the Vatican.

The pontiff, on Saturday, also sped up the process to appoint a nun, Sister Raffaella Petrini, as the next and first woman governor of the Vatican City and announced that her term would begin on March 1.

In his apparent bid to have a friendly face play the role of the one who would defend his legacy, the Pope had on February 6 extended the term of the Italian cardinal Gioavanni Battista Re as dean of the College of Cardinals.

Notably, the dean plays that role which oversees some preparations for a potential conclave, a secretive gathering that determines the selection of a new pope.

Re, a long-time Vatican operator, though too old to participate in the conclave, will nevertheless play a key role in the closed-door discussions that often occur before the conclave.

The person familiar with the happenings said, “The run-up to the conclave is more important as that’s where lobbying goes on.”

The Pope has been suffering from ill health in recent years, including regular flues, sciatica nerve pain, and an abdominal hernia that needed surgery in 2023.

The Vatican statement on Tuesday also expressed the Pope’s gratefulness for all the support that he has been receiving in recent years.