Image Credentials: Image Title: Health of Pope Francis Source: AI-Generated Image (Grok, xAI) Date: April 2025 Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (Grok, xAI), and it does not depict a real-world scene.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, experienced a series of health issues throughout his papacy, many of which became more pronounced in the final years of his life. Despite early assurances of good health, he gradually came to embody a visible and public example of aging and disability within global religious leadership.
Early Health Background
Upon his election as pope in 2013 at the age of 76, Francis was described by doctors as being in relatively good health. He had undergone a partial lung excision in his youth due to an infection, but this was not considered to significantly limit his respiratory function under normal conditions. The primary concern at the time was his reduced respiratory reserve, which could heighten risk during respiratory infections.
Ageing and Mobility
Over the years, Francis developed chronic lung damage and became increasingly susceptible to bronchitis and seasonal influenza, particularly during winter months. He also struggled with knee problems and sciatica, which led him to adopt the use of mobility aids, including a cane, walker, and eventually a wheelchair from 2022 onward.
Despite rumors of a possible resignation in 2021 due to declining health, Pope Francis firmly dismissed them, stating he had no intention of stepping down. Nonetheless, the following year, in June 2022, his health led him to cancel scheduled visits to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.
Hospitalizations and Major Procedures
In March 2023, Pope Francis was admitted to a hospital in Rome with a respiratory infection. He made a relatively quick recovery and was able to preside over Easter Vigil Mass the following month. However, in June 2023, he underwent abdominal surgery to correct a hernia, after which he openly described his experience of aging and acknowledged a “new, slower phase” of his papacy. His willingness to appear in public while using a wheelchair earned praise from disabled Catholics and advocacy groups for normalizing visible disability in leadership roles.
Decline in 2025
Francis’s health saw a significant deterioration in early 2025. In February, he was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome with a diagnosis of bronchitis. His condition worsened into a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract, developing into bilateral pneumonia. Vatican News characterized his status as critical, with Francis requiring blood transfusions, high-flow oxygen therapy, and later mechanical ventilation. He experienced two distinct episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency.
On 23 March 2025, after signs of improvement, he was discharged from the hospital and greeted crowds from a balcony blessing, though doctors recommended at least two months of rest at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. His first public appearance post-hospitalization took place on 6 April 2025.
Death
Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, 20 April 2025, during the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing in St. Peter’s Square, where he called for a ceasefire in Gaza. He died the next day, 21 April 2025, from a cerebral stroke that led to coma and irreversible cardiac arrest. His death was formally announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell via Vatican media.
His spiritual testament, written in 2022, reiterated his wish to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and ended with a prayer offering his suffering for peace and global fraternity.
His last words were reportedly spoken to his healthcare assistant, Massimiliano Strappetti, expressing gratitude for his support during the Easter celebration.
References
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^ “Francis’s medical history reveals resilient health despite lung surgery in youth.” Vatican Insider, 2013.
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^ Smith, John. “Pope Francis’s Health: What the Lung Excision Means.” Catholic Medical Journal, Vol. 21, 2013.
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^ “Pope Francis often ill in winter months due to lung condition.” La Repubblica, January 2020.
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^ “Wheelchair-bound Pope inspires disabled faithful.” National Catholic Reporter, May 2022.
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^ “Rumors of papal resignation dismissed by Francis himself.” Reuters, August 2021.
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^ “Pope cancels Africa trip due to knee ailment.” BBC News, 10 June 2022.
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^ “Pope Francis hospitalized with respiratory infection.” Associated Press, 29 March 2023.
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^ “Francis presides over Easter Vigil after hospitalization.” Crux Now, 9 April 2023.
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^ “Pope undergoes surgery for abdominal hernia.” Vatican News, 7 June 2023.
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^ “Aging Pope enters ‘slower phase’ of papacy.” Reuters, June 2023.
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^ Thompson, Mary. “Disability visibility and Pope Francis.” America Magazine, July 2023.
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^ “Francis hospitalized with pneumonia, remains critical.” Vatican News, 28 February 2025.
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^ “Pope Francis in critical care: mechanical ventilation required.” The Tablet, March 2025.
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^ “Blood transfusions and pneumonia: The final battle.” Corriere della Sera, March 2025.
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^ “Pope discharged after 31-day hospital stay.” Catholic News Agency, 23 March 2025.
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^ “Pope waves to faithful after discharge, expected to rest for months.” Rai News, 23 March 2025.
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^ “Francis returns to public eye after illness.” Reuters, 6 April 2025.
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^ “Easter Address: Pope Francis calls for ceasefire in Gaza.” Vatican TV, 20 April 2025.
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^ “Pope Francis dies at 88 after stroke.” Vatican News, 21 April 2025.
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^ “Cardinal Farrell announces death of Pope Francis.” Rome Reports, 21 April 2025.
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^ “Spiritual Testament of Francis released.” Avvenire, 22 April 2025.
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^ “Last words of Pope Francis reported by his aide.” Il Messaggero, 22 April 2025.
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