(21 Feb 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
++REFILING TO UPDATE STORY SLUG TO ITALY POPE HOSPITAL AP EXPLAINS++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rome – 21 February 2025
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Trisha Thomas, The Associated Press:
"It has been exactly one week since Pope Francis was admitted to the hospital here at Gemelli Hospital on the 10th floor, where he has a special apartment that’s dedicated to popes. He was admitted with bronchitis but then later doctors discovered after he had an X-ray that he has pneumonia in both his lungs. Other than that, there’s been very little information except that he’s being treated with antibiotics, cortisone. And last night they said he made a little, slight improvement. Every morning there’s a little bit of information from the Vatican, mostly saying that he had a good night, he got up and he’s reading sometimes the papers, sometimes he’s working. So far, nothing has been seen. No visuals, no photos, no video. So all of us are a bit in the dark here about what is actually going on and how he’s doing. The Cardinals have even begun talking a little bit about a possible resignation, but it’s all just rumors."
2. Statue of John Paul II in front of Gemelli hospital
3. Elena Dughila from Transylvania placing candle for Pope Francis
4. Candles with photos of Pope Francis, Padre Pio and others in front of statue
5. Alessandra Caccaomo from Rome praying
6. Close of candles
7. Pigeons on staff that statue is holding, window’s of 10th-floor apartment in background
8. Wide of entrance area of Gemelli hospital
9. TV cameras on hillside facing Gemelli hospital
10. Journalists with TV cameras pointing at 10th-floor windows where Pope is staying
11. Entrance to Gemelli hospital
STORYLINE:
Pope Francis on Friday marked the one-week point in his hospital stay, getting out of bed to eat breakfast as the 88-year-old pontiff continued fighting pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection, the Vatican said.
The Vatican late Thursday reported a “slight improvement” in his overall clinical condition, with his heart working well.
But it will still take some time to understand if the various drug therapies are working.
According to the one-line morning bulletin Friday, “The night went well, this morning Pope Francis got up and had breakfast.”
It was nearly identical to previous morning reports.
Outside the hospital, journalists from around the world camped out on a hillside with cameras pointed at the 10th floor where the Pope is staying.
The faithful gathered around a statue of Pope John Paul II at the entrance to the hospital offering their prayers for Pope Francis.
The 88-year-old pope was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 after a case of bronchitis worsened; doctors later diagnosed the onset of pneumonia in both lungs on top of asthmatic bronchitis and prescribed “absolute rest.”
On Thursday, some of his cardinals began responding to the obvious questions circulating about a possible resignation.
Francis has said he would consider it, after Pope Benedict XVI “opened the door” to popes retiring, but has shown no signs of stepping down and in fact has asserted recently that the job of pope is for life.
There is no provision in canon law for what to do if a pope becomes incapacitated.
But there is no indication Francis is in any way incapacitated or is even considering stepping aside.
The pope had an acute case of pneumonia in 2023 and is prone to respiratory infections in winter.
AP Video by Oleg Cetinic
===========================================================
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/0342d837b8244289818ea222a52a53dc
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in February 26, 2025, 3:04 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
