Exploring the Health Challenges of Pope Francis: A Closer Look at His Medical History

Pope Francis, seated in a wheelchair, greets the faithful during the weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican on March 6, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

VATICAN CITY (NB360) - The 88-year-old pope's recent hospitalization on Friday for bronchitis adds to a long list of health issues he has faced over the years. Here are some details:

LUNG AND RESPIRATORY TRACT

At the age of 21, Jorge Bergoglio, as he was known then, developed pleurisy and had a portion of one of his lungs removed in Argentina. Since the beginning of 2023, he has experienced recurring influenza and related issues.

On September 23, 2024, he canceled his appointments due to what the Vatican described as mild flu symptoms.

In February of the previous year, he underwent a hospital check-up after experiencing flu symptoms and returned to the Vatican the same day.

In late November 2023, he was compelled to cancel a planned trip to the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai due to the effects of influenza and lung inflammation.

In March 2023, the pope was hospitalized after reporting difficulty breathing. He recovered quickly after receiving antibiotics for bronchitis.

FALLS

Recently, the pope has experienced two falls at his residence, resulting in a bruised chin in December 2024 and an arm injury in January 2025.

COLON AND ABDOMEN

The pope spent nine days in the hospital in June 2023 following surgery to repair an abdominal hernia. His medical team determined that surgery was necessary due to the condition causing painful intestinal blockages. In July 2021, the pope underwent a six-hour operation to remove 33 cm (13 inches) of his colon to treat a painful bowel condition known as diverticulitis. He mentioned in 2023 that the condition had recurred. In a 2022 interview with Reuters, he dismissed as "court gossip" the rumors that cancer had been discovered during the 2021 surgery. The surgeon who performed the operation later confirmed that there was no cancer.

BACK AND KNEE

The pope has long been afflicted by sciatica, a chronic nerve condition that results in pain in the back, hip, and legs. An exacerbation of this condition led him to miss New Year's Eve and New Year's Day services in December 2020, marking the first instance health issues prevented him from attending major religious events.

He also developed a separate painful knee issue, but informed Reuters in July 2022 that he chose not to undergo surgery to avoid experiencing the long-term negative effects of anesthesia, which he encountered after his 2021 colon surgery. Instead, he has been attempting to address the issue with laser and magnet therapy.

In 2022, he had to cancel trips to Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan due to his walking difficulties. He later rescheduled the Africa trip and visited both countries in 2023.

BACK AND KNEE

The pope has been dealing with sciatica for a long time, a chronic nerve condition that causes pain in the back, hips, and legs. A flare-up of this condition led to him missing New Year's Eve and New Year's Day services in December 2020, marking the first instance where health issues prevented him from attending major religious events.

He also developed a separate, painful knee issue, but told Reuters in July 2022 that he chose not to undergo surgery to avoid experiencing the long-term negative effects of anesthesia that he encountered after his 2021 colon surgery. Instead, he has been addressing the issue with laser and magnet therapy.

In 2022, he had to cancel trips to Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan due to his walking difficulties. He rescheduled the trip to Africa and visited both countries in 2023.