Rome and London – Pope Francis suffered two episodes of “acute respiratory failure” on Monday, said the Vatican.
The episodes were caused by a “significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and the consequent bronchospasm,” said the Vatican press office in a brief statement.
According to doctors, acute respiratory failure indicates that the Pope did not respond to oxygenapia. The endobronchial mucus means that there is mucus and liquid in the deep parts of the lung or lungs, causing a bronchospasm, also known as cough attack, doctors said.
A man walks through the room where Pope Francis is hospitalized in Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Italy, Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Andrew Medichini/AP
Two bronchoscopies were performed in the pontiff, with “the need to aspire abundant secretions,” said the church. Non -invasive mechanical ventilation resumed in Francis and continues to be “alert, oriented and cooperative,” said the Vatican.
Broncoscopias allow a deep suction to eliminate mucus and liquids, doctors said. Non -invasive mechanical ventilation that resumed in Francis refers to a high pressure oxygen mask, according to doctors. The accumulation of mucus is a normal reaction of the lungs to pneumonia, sources told Vatican to ABC News.
The Pope’s prognosis “remains reserved,” said the Vatican in his update on Monday night.
Vatican sources said that the blood levels of the Pope remain stable and that there is no greater presence of leukocytes, the white blood cells that indicate the infection.
The Pope has the same complex medical condition described in the past, but is not out of danger, according to the sources of the Vatican. Doctors continue to be very cautious and have always left open the possibility that there has been a crisis, fountains said.
Doctors said it is not unusual for the condition of a patient to change day by day.
The faithful pray in front of the statue of Pope John Paul II at the entrance of the Gemelli Hospital, where Pope Francis is hospitalized, Rome, Italy, March 3, 2025.
RICCARDO ANTIMIANI/EPA-EFE/SHUTtersTock
The earlier Monday, the Vatican said that the Pope “rested well” during the night, his 17th night at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
“The Pope rested well all night,” said the Holy See, the Vatican press office, in a brief statement.
The Pope’s clinical condition had remained on Sunday “stable,” said the church. Vatican sources told ABC News on Sunday that the Pope had had breakfast with coffee and continued his treatment. He read the daily newspapers, as usual, the sources said.
A nun has a rosary during a prayer service in the Plaza de San Pedro, while Pope Francis continues his hospitalization, in the Vatican, on March 2, 2025.
Dylan Martínez/Reuters
Francis, who directed the Catholic Church since 2013, was admitted in Gemelli on February 14 and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.
The 88 -year -old pontiff had been stable on Saturday, church officials said after a Broncoospasm attack on Friday.
Youri Benadjaoud of ABC News contributed to this report.
This is a development story. Consult the updates again.
