Recently, news has come out revealing that the Roman Catholic Pope, Pope Francis, is facing some serious health issues. Conflicting headlines make claims of him being checked for or being diagnosed with either bronchitis or pneumonia when in reality he has contracted both. Despite how devastating this news may seem to people, it is said that the Pope remains calm.
PBS shares the first documented date of the Pope’s recent medical journey, saying “The 88-year-old Pope was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 after a case of bronchitis worsened.”
Four days later, the Pope was additionally diagnosed with pneumonia. This was said in an ABC News segment, where journalist James Longman summarizes an update from an unnamed source, saying “He has had bronchitis, they’ve told us that, that is an inflammation of the lungs. But now they’re saying he has pneumonia, and as if that wasn’t enough, it is in both lungs; bilateral pneumonia.”
These conditions combined form a short summary, being classified as a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection. The New York Times shares Dr James M. Musser’s explanation of the condition, which is “A mix of microbes, like viruses or bacteria, infecting his lungs or another part of his respiratory tract.”
The most obvious concern for the Catholic community right now is if the Pope survives. If the Pope does pass on, a type of electoral ritual called a conclave is in place. The Week describes the process, saying “After the death or resignation of a Pope, the Cardinals are called to convene in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, where they take an oath of secrecy and are isolated from the outside world. During this time, they can discuss the merits of likely candidates.”
It is also said that after this process, there is a proper ballot election for the candidate Cardinals. After the sessions, the ballots are burned. The color of the smoke signifies what has happened during the conclave. White smoke for a new Pope, black smoke for an unmade decision.
In short, this event is a huge deal for all Catholics. The amount of things that could change or happen given the Pope’s condition could shape the world of religion for many. We are left unsure of what will happen, but the best that can be done is to remain in good spirits, after all, this isn’t the first time Pope Francis has been unfortunately hospitalized.
