The Vatican has cancelled a number of events over the weekend as Pope Francis remains in hospital being treated for a respiratory infection.
The move has cast uncertainty over further upcoming Holy Year events.
The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Friday after experiencing worsening bronchitis symptoms.
The Vatican has described his condition as “fair” but confirmed a diagnosis of a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, requiring an extended hospital stay for “adequate” treatment.
This complex infection involves a mix of viruses, bacteria, and potentially other organisms in his respiratory tract.
No timeframe has been given for his release.
The cancellations impact the once-every-quarter-century celebration of Catholicism, intended to draw 30 million pilgrims to Rome for special Jubilee events throughout 2025.
This weekend’s events, focused on deacons preparing for priesthood, are particularly affected. A planned papal audience on Saturday and ordination Mass on Sunday have been cancelled, with the Jubilee’s organising archbishop now set to celebrate the Mass.
This follows a similar arrangement last weekend, where a cardinal presided over a Mass for visiting artists in lieu of the Pope.
The next major Jubilee events, scheduled for March 8-9 and dedicated to volunteers, are now also in question given the Pope’s ongoing health concerns.
Francis had part of one lung removed after a pulmonary infection as a young man and is prone to bouts of bronchitis in winter. He has admitted in the past that he is a non-compliant patient, and even his close Vatican aides have said he pushed himself too far even once his bronchitis was diagnosed.
He refused to let up on his busy schedule and ignored medical advice to stay indoors during Rome’s chilly winter, insisting on sitting through an outdoor Jubilee Mass for the armed forces on February 9 even though he was having trouble breathing.
Francis’ hospital admission has this year has already sidelined him for longer than a 2023 hospitalisation for pneumonia.
