Pope Francis’ health challenges explained
Double pneumonia and Pope Francis: A look at the illness that marked his final months. Composite image from Inquirer files.
MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America and a transformative figure in modern Catholicism, has died at age 88 after suffering a stroke and irreversible heart failure, the Vatican confirmed Monday through a death certificate signed by Vatican health director Dr. Andrea Arcangeli.
The Pope’s death comes just a day after his last public appearance—briefly blessing the faithful at Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square on April 20.
READ: Pope Francis’ cause of death was stroke — Vatican
Frail but determined, he greeted worshippers from a distance and held a quiet, private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance that same day. It was a final act of service by a man who had long defied the limits of age and illness.
READ: Pope Francis delights Easter crowd with surprise popemobile tour
But behind that moment of grace was a steady decline.
Pope Francis had spent much of early 2025 in and out of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, as doctors worked to manage his deteriorating health, most notably, a serious bout of double pneumonia that further compromised his already fragile condition.
A slow farewell: His final months
The Pope was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on February 14 with flu-like symptoms. Doctors initially diagnosed him with bronchitis, but further tests revealed double pneumonia, a more aggressive condition that severely compromised his breathing.
“Laboratory tests, chest X-rays and the clinical conditions of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture,” the Vatican said on February 19.
READ: Hospitalized Pope Francis has double pneumonia – Vatican
By February 22, the Vatican reported that the pontiff had suffered a “prolonged respiratory crisis” and was in critical condition, requiring high-flow oxygen support. Just a day later, tests revealed he was also showing signs of “initial, mild” kidney failure.
Despite the seriousness of his condition, the Pope rallied briefly. On March 6, his voice was heard for the first time since hospitalization through a recorded message to the faithful.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square, I accompany you from here,” Pope Francis said in a message broadcast in St Peter’s Square.
“May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you,” he said in his native Spanish, his voice strained and some words trailing off into silence as he struggled to breathe.
READ: Weak-sounding Pope Francis releases audio message from hospital
On March 23, Pope Francis stepped onto the hospital balcony after more than five weeks in the Gemelli Hospital—a quiet, moving return to public view.
He appeared frail, his breathing aided by nasal oxygen tubes, yet he smiled and slowly lifted his hand to wave at the small crowd that had gathered below. Some clutched rosaries. Others simply looked up in silence, many of them moved to tears.
It was his first public appearance since being rushed to the hospital in mid-February for what doctors later confirmed was double pneumonia. And for many Catholics, it was a moment of hope, however brief.
READ: Pope to make first public appearance Sunday since hospitalization
The Vatican later said the pope would return to his residence at the Domus Sanctae Marthae and enter a period of rest and scaled-back duties. But the image of Francis—elderly, recovering, but still waving—reminded the world of a shepherd determined to walk with his flock, even in weakness.
Still, those closest to him knew that the battle was far from over. And after his appearance on Easter Sunday, it became clear that Francis was saying goodbye.
READ: Pope Francis pushed himself knowing he ‘did not have long left’
A lifetime of health battles
Pope Francis’ public life was shaped not only by his reformist vision but also by a long, quiet struggle with chronic illness. At age 21, he had part of his right lung removed after suffering from pleurisy, a serious lung infection that left him more prone to bronchitis and respiratory complications throughout his life.
From 2020 to 2021, he missed several public appearances due to recurring sciatica—a painful nerve condition that also prompted him to openly acknowledge the possibility of stepping down if his health ever made him unfit to lead.
In July 2021, he underwent major abdominal surgery to treat a narrowing in his colon. Then came knee problems in 2022 that led to frequent wheelchair use. He told reporters then, half in jest, “One governs with the head, not the knee.”
By 2023, hospital visits became more frequent. He was treated for bronchitis in March, underwent hernia surgery in June, and returned to the hospital in early 2024 with flu-like symptoms. That same year, he suffered minor falls, including one in December that left a noticeable bruise on his cheek.
READ: At 87, Pope Francis defies expectations with epic voyage
These setbacks, however, did little to dampen his sense of purpose. Even in pain, he remained present, speaking at public events, receiving dignitaries, and celebrating Masses—his words sometimes slow, but his spirit undiminished.
Double pneumonia: a final battle
Double pneumonia—technically called bilateral pneumonia—is a life-threatening infection that inflames both lungs. It causes the air sacs (alveoli) to fill with fluid, making breathing painful and oxygen intake difficult.
Double pneumonia and Pope Francis: A look at the illness that marked his final months. Composite image from Inquirer files.
Pope Francis’ case was especially complicated. His previous lung surgery had already reduced his respiratory capacity. At 88, with a history of bronchitis and a string of recent hospitalizations, his body struggled to respond to the infection.
According to doctors, polymicrobial pneumonia—caused by a mix of bacteria, viruses, or fungi—requires intensive treatment, including broad-spectrum antibiotics, antivirals, and in severe cases, oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation.
The Vatican had described his condition as “complex,” and in the end, the illness took a toll that his heart could no longer withstand.
A quiet strength, to the end
Pneumonia remains one of the world’s deadliest diseases, particularly among older adults. In 2021 alone, over 1.1 million people aged 70 and above died from the infection. The odds were not in Pope Francis’ favor, but he faced them with characteristic calm and faith.
In his final weeks, he kept to a limited schedule, but never disengaged. He spoke softly, moved slowly, but remained a source of spiritual grounding for millions.
And when the end came, it was not met with drama, but with grace.
READ: Pope Francis has died aged 88 – Vatican
In a document quietly signed in June 2022 at his residence in Domus Sanctae Marthae, Pope Francis offered a deeply personal expression of faith and humility.
“As I sense that the twilight of my earthly life is approaching, and with firm hope in Eternal Life, I wish to express my final wishes regarding my burial place,” the testament began.
He entrusted his priesthood and papacy to Mary, Mother of God, and asked to be buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major—a place of devotion where he had often paused to pray at the start and end of his apostolic journeys.
He requested a modest tomb, set between the Pauline Chapel and the Sforza Chapel, marked only with the name Franciscus. The expenses, he added, would be covered by a benefactor, with arrangements coordinated through Msgr. Rolandas Makrickas.
“The suffering that marked the final part of my life, I offer to the Lord, for peace in the world and brotherhood among peoples.”
A legacy built on humility
Pope Francis will be remembered as a spiritual reformer, a pope of firsts—the first Jesuit, the first from the Global South, and the first to take the name Francis. But just as lasting is how he modeled leadership in frailty.
READ: 12 years of Pope Francis: Reform, social justice and tackling abuse
His health did not define him, but how he responded to it did. He led through example—present, humble, and human. Even in his last breaths, he reminded the world that to serve is to endure, and to endure is to love.
And in that, Pope Francis did not falter.
Graphics by Ed Lustan/Inquirer.net. Sources: Vatican News, Catholic News Agency, INQUIRER.net news archive, World Health Organization, GAVI The Vaccine Alliance, Our World in Data
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