Pope Francis was 'in danger of his life,' says Rome doctor who treated pontiff

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Mar 25, 2025 10:22 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Pope Francis came truthful adjacent to decease astatine 1 constituent during his 38-day combat successful infirmary against pneumonia that his doctors considered ending attraction truthful helium could dice successful peace, the caput of the Pope's aesculapian squad said.

After a breathing situation connected Feb. 28 that progressive Francis astir choking connected his vomit, "there was a existent hazard helium mightiness not marque it," said Sergio Alfieri, a doc astatine Rome's Gemelli hospital.

"We had to take if we would halt determination and fto him go, oregon to spell guardant and propulsion it with each the drugs and therapies possible, moving the highest hazard of damaging his different organs," Alfieri told Italy's Corriere della Sera successful an interrogation published connected Tuesday.

"In the end, we took this path," helium said.

Francis, 88, returned to the Vatican connected Sunday aft the astir superior wellness situation of his 12-year papacy.

He was admitted to Gemelli infirmary connected Feb. 14 for a bout of bronchitis that developed into treble pneumonia, an particularly superior information for him, arsenic helium had pleurisy arsenic a young big and had portion of 1 lung removed.

Credits Pope's nurse

The Vatican provided an antithetic magnitude of item successful its regular updates connected the Pope's information during his enactment successful hospital, which included 4 "respiratory crises" involving superior coughing fits caused by constrictions successful his airways, akin to asthma attacks.

Alfieri had antecedently said that 2 of the crises were critical, putting Francis "in information of his life." In the caller interview, the doc said it was the Pope's idiosyncratic caregiver who, aft the vomiting episode, instructed the aesculapian squad to support going with treatment.

"Try everything; don't springiness up," came the connection from Massimiliano Strappetti, the Pope's nurse, arsenic recounted by Alfieri.

"For days, we were risking harm to his kidneys and bony marrow, but we went ahead, and his assemblage responded to the drugs and his lung corruption lessened," said Alfieri.

Francis has been prescribed a further two-month play of remainder since leaving infirmary to afloat heal. It has not been made wide however overmuch helium volition beryllium seen successful nationalist successful coming weeks.

Recounting the Pope's archetypal nationalist quality since entering hospital, erstwhile Francis appeared connected a infirmary balcony to greet well-wishers connected Sunday, Alfieri said that was the infinitesimal of the Pope's attraction that struck him the most.

"I saw him permission the country connected the 10th level of the Gemelli dressed successful white," said the doctor. "It was the emotion of seeing the antheral go again the Pope."