Candles for Pope Francis are seen at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 where Pope Francis has been hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
ROME – Pope Francis suffered an isolated coughing fit on Friday that resulted in him inhaling vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said in relaying a setback in his two-week long battle against double pneumonia.
The 88-year-old pope remained conscious and alert at all times and cooperated with the maneuvers to help him recover. He responded well, with a good level of oxygen exchange and was continuing to wear a mask to receive supplemental oxygen, the Vatican said.
The development marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14.
The episode, which occurred in the early afternoon, resulted in a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors decided to keep Francis’ prognosis as guarded and indicated they needed 24-48 hours to evaluate how and if the episode has impacted his overall clinical condition.
The episode, which doctors described as an “isolated crisis of bronchial spasm” was a coughing fit in which Francis inhaled vomit. The longer respiratory crisis Francis suffered on Feb. 22 was a crisis in actually breathing, the Vatican said.
Doctors did not resume referring to Francis in “critical condition,” which has been absent from their statements for three days now. But they have been cautious in declaring him out of danger entirely, given the complexity of his case.
The Vatican has already made alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, making clear Francis still had a long road ahead. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 ceremony and procession that inaugurates the church’s solemn Lenten season leading up to Easter in April.
Earlier Friday, Francis had spent the morning alternating high flows of supplemental oxygen with a mask and praying in the chapel. He had breakfast, read the day’s newspapers and was receiving respiratory physiotherapy, the Vatican said.
The Vatican also published a document signed by Francis on Feb. 26 “From the Gemelli Polyclinic,” a new tagline that showed Francis was still working from the hospital.
