Pope is 'stable' day after suffering breathing crises, remains alert

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has not had any further respiratory crises a day after he experienced two of them, the Vatican said, and his condition remained “stable.”

The 88-year-old pope “presented no episodes of respiratory insufficiency or bronchospasm,” the Vatican said in its evening medical bulletin March 4. He remained without fever, was “always alert, cooperating with therapy and oriented.”

Still, his doctors at Rome’s Gemelli hospital said that his “prognosis remains guarded.”

The bulletin said the pope had “switched to high-flow oxygen therapy” in the morning and performed “respiratory physiotherapy,” which often consists of breathing exercises.

Pope Francis had suffered “two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency” March 3, which occurs when the lungs are unable to effectively take in sufficient oxygen or expel enough carbon dioxide to meet the body’s needs.

Those crises led doctors to put the pope back on “noninvasive mechanical ventilation” — a treatment that delivers air with added oxygen through a tightly fitted face mask and using positive pressure to assist breathing. He also underwent two bronchoscopies that day but “remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times,” the Vatican said.

Although the pope no longer needed oxygen through a breathing mask during the day March 4, the Vatican said in its evening bulletin that “as planned, noninvasive mechanical ventilation will be resumed until tomorrow morning.”

“He alternated between prayer and rest during the day and received the Eucharist this morning,” it added.

A Vatican source said that tests showed Pope Francis’ heart and kidney function to be stable. Doctors previously detected mild kidney impairment, and a low platelet count in the pope’s blood, but those issues seemed to be under control.

The pope did not receive any visitors in the hospital March 4, the source added.

A group of Argentine faithful placed a statue of Our Lady of Luján, the patroness of Argentina, at the base of the St. John Paul II statue below the pope’s room at the Gemelli hospital, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported March 4. The group reportedly assembled a small altar, lit a candle on it and prayed the rosary for the Argentine pope.

The Vatican also announced that the March 9-14 Lenten retreat for senior members of the Roman Curia would go ahead in “spiritual communion with the Holy Father,” who has been hospitalized since Feb. 14.

The theme, “The hope of eternal life,” was chosen “weeks ago,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office.

The retreat is scheduled to take place in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall and be led by Capuchin Father Roberto Pasolini, the new preacher of the papal household.

Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, was scheduled to lead the nightly recitation of the rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square March 4.

This story was updated at 3:27 p.m.