Pope Francis diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, Vatican says

Pope Francis has been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia in both lungs but was in a good mood, the Vatican said Tuesday. 

Laboratory tests and chest X-rays continued to reveal a "complex" medical picture, the Vatican said. 

"The polymicrobial infection, which arose on a picture of bronchiectasis and asmatiform bronchitis, and which required the use of antibiotic cortisone therapy, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex," a Vatican statement said.

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"The chest CT scan that the Holy Father underwent this afternoon… demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological therapy," it continued. 

The statement said the 88-year-old pontiff was in a good mood and received the Eucharist earlier Tuesday morning. 

Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital last week to receive treatment following a weeklong bout of bronchitis. Bronchitis can lead to pneumonia, which is a deeper and far more serious infection of the lungs' air sacs.

On Monday, medical personnel determined that he was suffering from a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, meaning a mix of viruses, bacteria and possibly other organisms had colonized his respiratory tract.

The pope is no stranger to health struggles. At the age of 21, he had part of his lung removed after developing pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the membranes that cushion the lungs.

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Pope Francis has struggled with multiple health battles over the last few years, including surgeries in 2021 and 2023, as well as long-standing knee issues, which have resulted in his using a wheelchair.

The Vatican News, the news arm of the Holy See, said Francis slept well on Monday evening. On Tuesday, the Holy See Press Office announced that the pope would not preside at Mass for the Jubilee of Deacons, which is scheduled for Sunday.

"For the celebration of the Holy Mass on the occasion of the Jubilee of Deacons, scheduled for Sunday, February 23, at 9:00 AM in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis has delegated Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for Fundamental Questions of Evangelization in the World," the Holy See press office said. 

Francis was "touched" by the outpouring of support, officials said. It noted that the pope has received numerous well-wishes, as well as drawings and cards from children in the hospital's pediatric oncology unit. 

The Vatican hasn't indicated how long Francis will be hospitalized. Despite being sick, Francis 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 Feb. 9 even though he was having trouble breathing.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf and The Associated Press contributed to this report.