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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, June 18th 2025 - 16:59 UTC

Tag: Vatican

  • Tuesday, April 22nd 2025 - 10:50 UTC

    Pope Francis died of a stroke, Vatican confirms

    “I offered to the Lord the suffering that became present in the last part of my life for peace in the world and fraternity among peoples,” Francis said in his will. Photo: Reuters

    The Vatican announced Monday that Pope Francis' death was caused by a stroke, leading to a coma and irreversible cardiovascular collapse. He had a history of health issues, including a recent 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia, alongside conditions like hypertension and type II diabetes. His death was confirmed by electrocardiogram, as stated by Andrea Arcangeli, head of the Vatican’s Health Directorate.

  • Monday, April 21st 2025 - 10:59 UTC

    Argentine-born Pope Francis dies aged 88

    On Easter Sunday, Francis appeared in a wheelchair at St. Peter’s Square to deliver the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Easter blessing with help from an assistant (Photo Vatican Media)

    Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born in Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936, who would later become known worldwide as Pope Francis since March 13, 2013, died Monday, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced from the Casa Santa Marta.

  • Monday, April 7th 2025 - 10:31 UTC

    Pope makes surprising appearance at St Peter's Square

    He looked frail in a wheelchair and with intranasal oxygen supply

    Pope Francis made a surprise appearance at St Peter's Square Sunday, two weeks after his release from Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he had been treated for life-threatening pneumonia for 38 days. The 88-year-old former Archbishop of Buenos Aires looked frail in a wheelchair with nasal oxygen supply as he blessed around 20,000 faithful at the end of a Mass for the sick, led by Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

  • Friday, March 7th 2025 - 09:29 UTC

    Pope sends message to the faithful

    “I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” the Pope said in Spanish with a hoarse voice

    The Vatican Thursday released an audio message in St. Peter's Square at 9 pm local time from Pope Francis, who is hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli clinic for a case of bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. The Pontiff thanked the faithful for their prayers, marking his first public communication in weeks. Speaking in Spanish with a hoarse voice, the Pope expressed gratitude and extended blessings.

  • Tuesday, March 4th 2025 - 09:12 UTC

    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,

  • Saturday, March 1st 2025 - 10:08 UTC

    Pope's condition now deemed “complex”

    “The Holy Father was promptly bronchoaspirated and started non-invasive mechanical ventilation,” Vatican sources stated

    Just one day after being reported to be “out of critical condition,” Pope Francis had an isolated bronchospasm crisis worsening his overall respiratory state. He has completed a fortnight at Rome's Gemelli clinic, where he had been admitted on Feb. 14 for bronchitis with a polymicrobial infection and bilateral pneumonia. Despite Friday's episode, the Argentine-born Pope remained lucid and cooperative. Vatican sources confirmed Francis, 88, would not preside over the Ash Wednesday rite on March 5.

  • Monday, February 10th 2025 - 08:51 UTC

    Pope halts homily amid shortness of breath

    The Argentine-born Pope has been suffering from bronchitis over the past few days

    Argentine-born Pope Francis was forced Sunday to interrupt his homily in St. Peter's Square during the Armed Forces Jubilee Sunday due to notorious breathing difficulties. “Now I apologize and ask the master to continue the reading due to difficulty in breathing,” said Jorge Mario Bergoglio before a crowd featuring numerous troops and police officers from various countries.

  • Monday, November 25th 2024 - 09:48 UTC

    Former Argentine FMs condemns Milei's decision regarding Papal invitation

    Argentina will be represented by Ambassador Beltramino

    Five former Argentine Foreign Ministers signed a declaration condemning their successor Gerardo Werthein's absence at Monday's ceremony with Pope Francis marking the 40th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship which Chile, whose top diplomat Alberto van Klaveren will be attending the event.

  • Friday, May 24th 2024 - 10:32 UTC

    The first millennial and “God's influencer” to be canonized by Pope Francis

    London born Carlo Acutis had been beatified - the first step towards sainthood - in 2020, after he was attributed with his first miracle

    BBC is reporting that a London-born teenager - whose proficiency at spreading the teachings of the Catholic church online led to him being called “God's influencer” - is set to become a saint. Carlo Acutis died in 2006, at the age of 15, meaning he would be the first millennial - a person born in the early 1980s to late 1990s - to be canonized.

  • Tuesday, February 13th 2024 - 10:59 UTC

    Milei says he has built a positive bond with Pope Francis

    Milei and Francis met for over an hour, an unusually long encounter for the Pope with any foreign leader

    Argentine President Javier Milei, who once called Pope Francis “nefarious” and other epithets, admitted Monday that he had to “reconsider some positions” after meeting in person with the leader of the Catholic faith and fellow Buenos Aires native.