THE Pope has warned aides he may not survive the illness he is battling in hospital and is preparing his legacy, according to reports.
Two people close to the Pontiff said Francis, 88, told them that he “might not make it this time”, according to a report by Politico.
SplashPope Francis has been in hospital since Friday[/caption]
AFPHe has told close aides he fears he will not survive his current bout of illness[/caption]
Pope Francis was rushed to hospital last Friday, where he has now been diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.
Despite the Vatican previously claiming that the Pope’s condition was stable, he now fears he will die from his condition, and is rushing to tie up loose ends ahead of his successor.
Two aides have reportedly said the Pope fears this will be his final battle with illness.
They said he is suffering with intense pain, and was distressed after being barred from delivering his regular morning Angelus sermon, which he has rarely missed – even when hopsitalised.
The officials apparently added he was now completely following “doctors’ orders”.
Pope Francis was admitted to the Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14, after a week of suffering with bronchitis.
The Vatican warned on Monday that a longer hospital stay was needed in the face of a “complex clinical picture”, involving a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract”.
They also offered hope to Catholics around the world by saying the Pope’s condition was “stable”, and that he did not have a fever.
But all of the Pope’s engagements have been cancelled, and it seems he is not optimistic after the double-lung pneumonia was confirmed.
A statement issued by the Vatican yesterday read: “The chest CT scan that the Holy Father underwent this afternoon … demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological therapy.”
The added that Francis’ respiratory infection also involved asthmatic bronchitis, which required the use of an extensive antibiotic treatment.
The Pope had part of his lung removed years ago, meaning he is particularly vulnerable to pulmonary conditions.
Expert Italian pulmonologist Barbara Moscatelli told the National Catholic Reporter that the condition is “neither easy to define or to manage”.
However, even yesterday the Pope was said to be in good spirits and grateful for all the prayers for his speedy recovery.
AFPPope Francis overseeing a mass earlier this month[/caption]
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