Thursday, February 20

Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital with bronchitis last week, and local doctors have confirmed that he has pneumonia in both lungs, sparking concerns over the 88-year-old's health.

Pope Francis is the leader of the Catholic church, residing in the Vatican Palace within Vatican City. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936, he is now 88 years old and has been the Pope since 2013 when he was elected as the successor of Pope Benedict XVI.

As a Pope, he has numerous responsibilities-- the Pope is an extremely important position which many duties. The primary job of a Pope is to lead the Catholic church, which is a massive responsibility in itself-- the Catholic church has over 1.3 billion followers worldwide. The Pope also works as a mediator in negotiations between nations, makes crucial decisions on aspects of faith and morality, and much more.

In recent years, Pope Francis' health has become a concern as he goes further into his older years, but this isn't the first time he's had such problems. In 1957, a severe respiratory infection in Argentina resulted in him having to get part of his lung removed, which has made it easier for him to contract viruses and other illnesses. He has also faced multiple other problems like sciatica, knee pain, and colon issues in the past few years, which are another sign of his deteriorating health.

Now, after being sent to the hospital with bronchitis last week, he has been diagnosed with double pneumonia, also known as bilateral pneumonia. Pneumonia is an illness where a virus or bacteria causes inflammation and swelling of the lungs, making it tough to breathe, and it can cause the lungs to fill up with fluid or pus. This can cause life-threatening, critical conditions in some people, and unfortunately, the Pope has pneumonia in both lungs. The doctors have described it has a "polymicrobial infection," meaning that a combination of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites are causing his pneumonia.

While Catholics and others all over the world are now praying for him, many people in the Vatican have begun to prepare for his death, writing eulogies and rehearsing his funeral. Also, the Vatican has kept extremely quiet about his condition, but they have revealed some information. They stated that the Pope is stable and slightly improving, as he was able to sit up and eat breakfast this morning.

If the Pope were to not survive this illness, there are a multitude of cardinals who could take over his position-- the College of Cardinals would make that decision and elect the next Pope.

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): The longest breath ever held underwater was 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds, with the record set by Budimir Šobat in 2021.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): If you want things to be different, perhaps the answer is to become different yourself. (Norman Vincent Peale)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Obtuse (adj, ahb-TOOSS) - Obtuse is a formal word that describes someone who is not able to think clearly or to understand what is obvious or simple. It can also suggest a refusal to see something apparent to others, or a willful ignorance of or insensitivity to the real facts of a situation. Obtuse can also describe something that is difficult to understand because it is unclear or imprecise.

In a Sentence: They were too obtuse to take a hint.