VATICAN CITY – After hospitalisation last weekend the Vatican announced on Wednesday that Pope Francis has been able to get out of his bed, have breakfast and sit in an armchair, a feat which seemed unlikely mere days prior. 

 It was also noted that his heart is still strong, despite the combined factor of his age, 88 and the serious infections that he had contracted over the last week.  Scans revealed that he had an infection that had spread across both lungs, which created a ‘complex image’ that would require the pontiff to follow a different course of pharmacological treatment. 

 In the last weeks, Francis has had some difficultly delivering addresses, due to breathing difficulties brought on by this infection but Vatican sources have underlined that now he is ‘breathing on his own’ and does not have to have additional breathing support. 

  While the pope’s stay in hospital will not be short, there is new hope that he could recover, given this encouraging news of the strength of his heart and his ability to breathe on his own. Days after his hospitalisation rumours of pre-conclave meetings had already begun, but it would appear that Francis had initiated some of these discussions himself, prior to any illness. 

 Sources state that Wednesday afternoon Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, is expected to arrive at Gemelli infirmary, who was previously traveling in Burkina Faso. Francis has been prescribed absolute rest and he does not receive visits, apart from those with his direct collaborators, who submit cards and documents for him.

 Even on Tuesday he continued to carry on his church's government duties, even difficult ones. He has been sending messages to the theological faculty of Triveneto on the 20th anniversary of the foundation and in the inauguration of the academic year, the Pontiff accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the diocese of Baie-Comeau, in Canada, presented by Monsignor Jean-Pierre Blais.

 He appointed Bishop Father Pierre Charland, who was previously provincial minister of the Franciscans of Canada. All of which indicate that despite his illness Francis has yet to lose his vigour of character and continues to serve the church even from his hospital room. 

og