Pope Francis, 86, is suffering a respiratory infection and must stay in hospital ‘for several days’

Pope Francis must stay in hospital for several days to treat a respiratory infection after experiencing breathing difficulties, the Vatican confirmed tonight.

The concerning statement comes hours after the Pope cancelled his events tomorrow after initially being admitted to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome for what was described as ‘scheduled checks’.

The Pope’s spokesman Matteo Bruni has confirmed that the 86-year-old does not have Covid-19 but requires several days of therapy.  

‘The tests showed a respiratory infection (Covid-19 infection excluded) that will require some days of medical therapy,’ Mr Bruni said.

The shock statement comes despite the Pope looking in good health as he took part in the weekly general audience earlier today.

Pope Francis must stay in hospital for several days for treatment of a respiratory infection after experiencing breathing difficulties in recent days. Pictured: The Pope speaks during a general audience at St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, March, 29

Francis had part of one lung removed when he was a young man due to a respiratory infection, and he often speaks in a whisper. But he got through the worst phases of the pandemic without at least any public word of ever testing positive. 

The Pope also suffers from diverticulitis, a condition that can infect or inflame the colon, and he had an operation in 2021 to remove part of his colon. 

The pontiff, who has been struggling to breathe in recent days, will be kept in hospital during what is one of his busiest periods of the year, with Easter events planned for this week and next. He had also planned to visit Hungary at the end of April.

The Pope has sparked debate over his future in the role after a number of comments appeared to indicate he might be thinking of stepping down at some point.

Earlier this year, Pope Francis said the condition had returned and that it was causing him to put on weight, but that he was not overly concerned. He did not elaborate.

He also has a problem with his knee and alternates between using a cane and a wheelchair in his public appearances.

Francis told Reuters in an interview last year that he preferred not to have surgery on his knee because he did not want a repeat of long-term negative side effects from anaesthesia that he suffered after the 2021 operation.

The Pope said earlier this month that he may step down if he becomes too tired to continue in the role.

It comes after the Pope’s spokesman said that he was attending the Gemelli Hospital (pictured) in Rome for some previously scheduled check-ups

Asked by Italian media what would lead the him to resign, the Pope warned of ‘a fatigue that makes you not see things clearly… A lack of clarity when it comes to knowing how to assess situations.’

He said that he was ‘a bit ashamed’ to use a wheelchair due to a knee injury.

‘I am old,’ he told RSI. ‘I have less physical resistance, the knee [problem] was a physical humiliation, even if the recovery is going well now.’

Last month, the Pope said that papal resignations should happen in exceptional circumstances, and said quitting was not ‘on [his] agenda‘.

Pope Francis has been head of the Catholic Church since March 2013 and recently marked a decade of his papacy.

In January, the Pope also fuelled speculation he might one day soon step down from the role when he gave a sermon on ‘the virtue of stepping aside at the right time’ and ‘learning to take our leave’.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio would be the second to step down in a little over six centuries if he were to resign.

Only five popes have ‘verifiably‘ renounced the position through history, with others disputed.

The most recent was Benedict XVI, who resigned in 2013 and said he was motivated by his declining health due to old age.

Contemporary popes are generally expected to hold the position until their death.