Pope Francis suffered “two episodes of acute respiratory failure,” resuming use of a ventilator to assist breathing.
According to CNN, the pope, in the latest health crisis on Monday afternoon, March 3, 2025, experienced “two episodes of acute respiratory failure” because of “significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus,” which has made his airways narrower, making it harder to breathe.
Vatican sources said, “It was a complicated afternoon. The accumulation of the mucus is a result of the pneumonia, and that causes coughing and spasms as the bronchi try to expel the mucus as it irritates them.”
The Vatican stated that earlier on Monday the doctors performed two bronchoscopies to remove the buildup of secretions, but later in the afternoon the doctors gave him an oxygen mask after breathing issues.
Doctors previously declared that Francis did not need “non-invasive mechanical ventilation, only high-flow oxygen therapy,” but he has resumed that mechanical ventilation again.
Notably, this was the third serious downturn of the 88-year-old since he was admitted to a hospital in Rome due to pneumonia on February 14, 2025. Due to the hospitalisation and health issues, he has not attended his traditional Angelus prayer in person for three weeks in a row.
Furthermore, Vatican sources stressed that Pope Francis's conditions remained complex, and the doctors around him remained cautious, as he is not stable yet.
