INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
88-year-old pontiff endured a severe respiratory infection since February 14, marking his toughest health crisis in 12 years as pope
bronchitis into double pneumonia affecting both lungs, worsened by a past lung surgery in his youth
Francis suffered four acute respiratory crises, two life-threatening, requiring non-invasive ventilation through a mask to breathe.Dr
Sergio Alfieri, his lead physician, confirmed the pneumonia cleared, but a complex infection lingers, demanding careful recovery
This hospitalization stretched longer than any in his papacy, testing his resilience as he lost weight and struggled to speak.Doctors expect
his voice to take weeks to recover, while a nurse will assist him at Casa Santa Marta
On Sunday, he waved from the hospital balcony, blessing hundreds below before heading home.Pope Francis Faces Long Recovery After Severe
Behind them lies a leader managing a global church of 1.3 billion amid personal frailty.His partial lung removal decades ago left him
vulnerable, yet he pressed on, approving saints and writing peace letters from his bed
Now, the Vatican faces disruption
Francis planned to meet King Charles on April 8 and lead Easter on April 20.Officials will decide later if he can manage, as his absence
could shift church priorities
Business leaders and governments watch closely, given his influence on social and economic issues.Francis returned via his modest Fiat 500L,
stopping to pray at Saint Mary Major Basilica, a quiet nod to tradition
At 88, he defies resignation rumors, but this ordeal underscores his limits
