Vatican cancels Holy Year events as Pope remains hospitalised

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00:00The Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said that Pope Francis passed a tranquil fourth night on the

00:0710th floor of Rome's Gemelli Hospital. He had his breakfast this morning and also read the paper.

00:14So that's what we know so far in terms of his condition, but on Monday it was confirmed that

00:19he has a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection. Now what that essentially means is that the Pope

00:26has a mix of microbes, viruses and bacterias infecting his lungs and other parts of his

00:34respiratory tract and in order to deal with this they've adjusted his medication and his treatment

00:41in order to control these infections and so an extended stay with no time frame as to when

00:48he will be released. Now on top of cancelling Wednesday's weekly blessing and message that he

00:56gives at the Vatican at St Peter's Square to pilgrims gathered there, they have also announced

01:03that he won't be participating or be involved in any of the events over the weekend that includes

01:12certain events related to the catholic jubilee year celebrations and that's an audience on

01:18Saturday as well as mass on Sunday. Now the Pope is known to be a workaholic, he wants to participate

01:26in these events, it brings him closer to the faithful so probably this is a frustration for him

01:32but the doctors and medical staff taking care of him clearly have determined that his stay and

01:38complete rest at the hospital is necessary. Of course this has increased concern among the

01:44faithful, there have been some people at the hospital, he's out here in Rome in fact praying

01:50for his health. Seema, the pontiff is 88 years old, he's had health problems on and off over the

01:58past two years with his knee what have you, has there been thought given to him scaling back or

02:04dare I say retiring? Well let's not forget it was his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI who was the

02:13first Pope in hundreds of years to actually resign but in a new autobiography that was just released

02:21last month, Pope Francis said he has no plans to resign saying that he governs using his head

02:26and his heart and not his legs. Of course we have seen mobility issues as the Pope has had to deal

02:33with sciatica as well as a bad knee but you're right he is 88 years old and he has a complex

02:39medical history. This issue of respiratory infections, I mean he had part of his lung removed

02:45when he was a young man, he suffered from bouts of respiratory issues over the last few years in 2023

02:52was admitted in the same hospital suffering pneumonia and in 2021 even had part of his colon

03:00removed and had to return back for additional surgery on that issue in 2023 so lots of medical

03:07issues there but he really wants to continue as far as he can. Of course being in hospital

03:16getting the help that he needs is how the medical staff wants to deal with it but clearly

03:22concerned he is 88 years old, age catching up with him perhaps and of course all eyes as far

03:29journalists here in Rome but of course the millions of faithful around the world

03:33are watching closely as to how his health proceeds.

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