CV NEWS FEED // Two days after Pope Francis canceled all meetings on Saturday to be tested for his flu-like symptoms, the Director of the Holy See Press Office reported that Francis “is in a good and stable condition; he has no fever, and his respiratory situation is clearly improving.”
Director of the Holy See Press Office Matteo Bruni gave the update about Francis’ health through Vatican News on November 27.
During his Sunday Angelus address, Francis said he was suffering from a “pulmonary inflammation.”
Ordinarily Francis prays Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square, but on Sunday he prayed from the papal residence Casa Santa Marta over videolink to avoid the cold weather.
Francis told the audience at St. Peter’s Square in the live-streamed address,
Today, I cannot look out of the window because I have this problem of inflammation in my lungs. The reflection will be read by Monsignor Braida, who knows them well because it is he who writes them, and he always does them so well. Thank you very much for your presence.
Francis had a CT scan on Saturday that “ruled out pneumonia but showed pulmonary inflammation that has caused some breathing difficulties,” Bruni confirmed through Vatican News.
“To increase the efficacy of the treatment, a cannula needle was inserted for the infusion of intravenous antibiotic therapy,” said Bruni, adding that
in order to facilitate the Pope’s recovery, some important engagements scheduled for the next few days have been postponed, so that he can devote the necessary time and energy to them… [other engagements] of an institutional nature or easier to endure given his current state of health, have been maintained.
Francis met with the President of Paraguay Santiago Peña at Casa Santa Marta on Saturday morning before canceling the remaining meetings of the day. Typically, the pope receives world leaders in the Apostolic Palace, but on Saturday Francis received them at the papal residence due to his health.
In the meeting, the First Lady presented Francis with a basket of traditional Paraguayan food called chipa. According to Rome Reports,
They also gave him an image of the Virgin of Caacupé carved in rosewood, figurines from a Nativity scene made by the indigenous Paraguayan people, a poncho and a silver rosary.
In turn, Pope Francis gave the president a bronze figure with the inscription: “Let’s fill the hands of other hands.” And he also presented them with a book from the pontifical apartment.
The pope turns 87 on December 17.
