Pope Francis was hospitalized Friday for the fourth time since he was elected in 2013
Pope Francis was hospitalized Friday for the fourth time since being elected in 2013, after he was diagnosed with bronchitis last week. Francis had part of one lung removed as a young man and has recurring bouts of bronchitis, especially in winter.
The 88-year-old pontiff has had a series of other health problems. In addition to having had a large chunk of his large intestine removed in 2021, he now uses a wheelchair, cane or walker because of strained knee ligaments.
Francis has a personal physician, Dr. Roberto Bernabei, who is an internist and geriatric specialist at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. He also has a personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, an employee of the Vatican health system whom Francis credited with saving his life when Strappetti diagnosed the 2021 intestinal problem.
