Pope Francis Nears Critical Condition as Doctors Consider Halting Treatment – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
10:58 AM – Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Recent reports have indicated that Pope Francis faced a critical moment during his 38-day hospitalization for pneumonia, to the extent that doctors contemplated ceasing his treatment.
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Following a breathing crisis on February 28th, where the Pope nearly choked on vomit, “there was a genuine risk he might not survive,” remarked Sergio Alfieri, a doctor at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
“We faced the decision of whether to halt treatment and let him pass, or to continue aggressively with medications and therapies, despite the significant risk of harming his other organs,” Alfieri explained to Italy’s Corriere della Sera in a recent interview.
Alfieri informed The Vatican that Francis entrusted all healthcare decisions to Massimiliano Strappetti, his personal healthcare aide who fully understands the Pope’s preferences.
“Try everything; we will not give up,” Alfieri recounted Strappetti instructing the hospital staff. “That was our collective mindset, and no one backed down.”
“Even when [Francis’] situation deteriorated, he remained aware. That evening was dire, and he understood, as did we, that he might not endure until dawn,” Alfieri also disclosed to Corriere della Sera. “We witnessed his suffering, but from day one, he requested honesty about his health status.”
Pope Francis was ultimately discharged from the hospital in Rome on Sunday.
He has been advised to take an additional two months of rest post-discharge to ensure a complete recovery, although it remains uncertain how frequently he will be in public during this time.
Francis left the hospital on March 23rd after a 38-day stay, the longest of his four hospitalizations since becoming Pope 12 years ago. Throughout his stay, he experienced several respiratory complications, with Alfieri previously noting that two severe episodes posed a significant threat to his life.
In the meantime, the Pope will gradually resume his duties. He has not performed the Angelus prayer for the past seven Sundays and has appealed for peace in war-torn areas.
“You have continued to pray for my health with unwavering patience and persistence. Thank you immensely. I also keep you in my prayers,” he mentioned in a post on X on Sunday. “Let us pray together for peace, particularly in suffering regions like Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
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