Vatican: Pope’s health ‘stable’; treatment continues as lung inflammation remains

Daniel Payne   By Daniel Payne for CNA

November 29, 2023 Catholic News Agency News Briefs 1 Print

 

Pope Francis greets pilgrims and poses for photos at the end of his general audience on Nov. 29, 2023. / Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Nov 29, 2023 / 15:58 pm (CNA).

The Vatican on Wednesday said Pope Francis’ health was stable as the Holy Father continues to receive treatment for ongoing lung inflammation stemming from a flu infection.

“The Holy Father’s condition is stable; he has no fever, but lung inflammation associated with respiratory distress remains,” the Vatican said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

“He continues antibiotic therapy,” the statement added.

Pope Francis has been struggling for several days with persistent symptoms following what the Vatican called a mild flu infection that developed last week.

The Vatican announced on Tuesday that it had canceled the pope’s planned trip to Dubai this week due to his continuing struggles with lung inflammation. Francis had been scheduled to travel to Dubai to deliver a speech at the COP28 climate conference.

The Vatican said on Monday that the Holy Father’s condition was “clearly improving,” with the pontiff in “good and stable” condition and without a fever.

The pope last week visited the Gemelli Isola Hospital in Rome after his flu diagnosis. During that visit, Francis underwent a CT scan to rule out the risk of “pulmonary complications,” the Holy See said at the time.

Francis, who turns 87 next month, has experienced a number of medical setbacks in recent years. He has been hospitalized on more than one occasion, most recently in June for abdominal surgery.

Part of the pope’s right lung was removed in a surgery in 1957 in Argentina before he began his novitiate with the Jesuits. Earlier this year, the pope was treated for bronchitis for several days, quipping on his April 1 release: “I’m still alive, you know.”

Though he continues to struggle with the symptoms from the flu, the pope has kept up a somewhat regular schedule at the Vatican this week, hosting a soccer team on Wednesday and appearing for his Wednesday audience (his prepared remarks, however, were read by a Vatican official), while the Holy Father also met with French abuse victims on Tuesday.

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Funeral of Benedict XVI: Everything you need to know

January 3, 2023 Catholic News Agency 2
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. / Daniel Ibañez / EWTN

Vatican City, Jan 3, 2023 / 01:46 am (CNA).

Following the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, these are the details you should know about his funeral in the Vatican.

Benedict XVI passed away on December 31 at 9:34 am (Rome time). As confirmed by his personal secretary Archbishop Georg Ganswein, his last words were “Signore, ti amo !” (Lord, I love you!) And he pronounced them in Italian.

Unlike the death of Saint John Paul II in 2005, the death of the Pope Emeritus was not announced in Saint Peter’s Square nor was there a peal of bells. Confirmation of his death was reported by the director of the Vatican Press Office, Matteo Bruni.

Bruni told reporters that “following the wishes of the Pope Emeritus, the funeral will be held under the sign of simplicity,” stressing that it will be a “solemn but sober funeral.”

“The express request on the part of the emeritus pope is that everything be simple, both with regard to the funeral, as well as the other celebrations and gestures during this time of pain,” he added.

After his death, the remains of Benedict XVI remained in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, his place of residence since his resignation in 2013. The small monastery is located in the Vatican Gardens, on a hill behind St. Peter’s Basilica. 

On January 1, 2023, the Holy See released the first images of the body of the Pope Emeritus with a rosary in his hand and lying at the foot of the altar in the monastery’s chapel. The chapel is the same place where, in addition to celebrating Mass, it received public visits from Pope Francis and the new cardinals every time there was a consistory in the Vatican. Since it continues to be Christmas liturgically, the chapel still has a small Christmas tree and a manger.

Next to the remains of Benedict XVI, some kneelers were placed for prayer.

A few hours later dozens of people including cardinals, bishops, priests, Vatican workers, nuns from different congregations and even journalists who cover the activities of the Holy See, were able to enter the monastery to keep vigil and pray with the remains of the Pope before they were transferred to San Peter.

At 7:00 am on January 2, the body of the Pope Emeritus was transferred from the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica to begin the wake and allow thousands of pilgrims to say their last goodbyes. 

The Archpriest of the Basilica, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, received the remains of Benedict XVI with a liturgical act that lasted about 30 minutes.

Among the attendees were Bishop Georg Ganswein, who was his personal secretary since 2003, and the master of liturgical celebrations, Bishop Diego Ravelli.

From 9:00 am to 7:00 pm the faithful from all over the world were allowed to enter St. Peter’s Basilica to visit the body of Benedict XVI.

It is estimated that at least 65,000 people came to visit the Pope Emeritus on the first day of his wake. 

The remains of Benedict XVI will remain on display in St. Peter’s Basilica until Wednesday, Jan. 4. Visiting hours for Tuesday and Wednesday are from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Rome time).

Funeral of Benedict XVI

Pope Francis will preside over the funeral of Benedict XVI on Thursday, January 5 at 9:30 a.m. (Rome time), in St. Peter’s Square.

Two official state delegations, those of Italy and Germany, will attend the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. 

The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, was one of the first to visit the funeral chapel of Pope Benedict XVI. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, accompanied by other officials from her government, also attended on the morning of Monday, January 2, and prayed for several minutes before the remains of the Pope Emeritus.

Many other heads of state will come to pay respects and attend the funeral in an unofficial capacity, including the President of Hungary, Katalin Novak; the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda; King Philip of Belgium; and Queen Sofia of Spain, among others. 

The funeral of Benedict XVI will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 5. You can view it live on EWTN here.

This article was originally published by our sister agency, ACI Prensa. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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