Pope Francis was admitted to hospital on Friday for tests and treatment for bronchitis, the latest in a series of health problems for the 88-year-old pontiff.
Francis, who has been breathless in recent days and has delegated officials to read his speeches, held his morning meetings as planned before heading to Rome’s Gemelli hospital, the Vatican said.
He was hospitalized for “some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue treatment for ongoing bronchitis in a hospital setting”, it said.
Two audiences due to be held by the pope on Saturday and Monday were later cancelled, while a cardinal will lead mass on Sunday in Francis’s place.
“The initial tests indicate a respiratory tract infection,” the Vatican said in a further statement on Friday evening, adding that his condition was “stable, with a slight fever”.
“The Pope is calm, he’s in good spirits and has been reading newspapers,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told reporters shortly after.
The Argentine pontiff, who took over as head of the Catholic Church in 2013, will be staying at the Gemelli in a suite used exclusively by popes that has its own chapel.
