MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pope has two episodes of acute respiratory failure

'Today the Holy Father had two attacks of acute respiratory insufficiency,” the Vatican said in a statement

Pope Francis suffered two episodes of acute respiratory failure, Vatican sources confirmed Monday. The Argentine-born Pontiff has now been hospitalized for 18 days at Rome's Gemelli clinic, where he was admitted with bronchitis, which later proved to be bilateral pneumonia,

Monday's crises were caused by an accumulation of mucus in the bronchi, leading to bronchospasm. The former Archbishop of Buenos Aires was treated with bronchoscopies to aspirate the secretions and was ventilated with an oxygen mask. Despite the severe respiratory distress, the Pope remained alert and cooperative.

This hospitalization is his fourth and longest since becoming Pope in 2013.

According to the Vatican, the 88-year-old Jorge Mario Bergoglio fell into severe respiratory distress twice in a row and had to be mechanically ventilated. In his younger years, Begroglio had to have part of his lung removed.

“There are ups and downs,” it was also explained. The Pope's condition had gradually improved “slightly” over the past week. On Friday, however, he suffered a severe respiratory crisis, as a result of which Francis had to be given oxygen. On Sunday evening, the Vatican described his condition as stable. On Sunday, he was visited by Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

Although he has admitted he would be willing to abdicate if he could no perform his duties, he also insisted that that a papal resignation such as the German Benedict XVI's in 2013 should not become “fashionable.” Born Josef Ratzinger, Fancis' predecessor died on Dec- 31, 2022, at the age of 95.