Pope Francis suffered from serious illnesses; portion of lung and intestines removed

ROME: Millions of people had prayed for the life of 88-year-old Pope Francis, who was suffering from double pneumonia. He passed away leaving all prayers in vain. Pope Francis had lung problems since he was a child. At the age of 21, he contracted life-threatening pneumonia and had a portion of his lung removed due to the infection. In recent years, he also suffered from bronchitis and fever during winter.

He has been using a wheelchair, walker or crutches due to knee problems. Rumors that he might resign due to health problems have been circulating since 2021. However, he had repeatedly denied the rumors.

Pope Francis has suffered from health problems since he was very young. In 1957, when he was in his 20s, he had a portion of his lung surgically removed due to an infection. This often caused him to have breathing problems later in his life.

In December 2020, he developed a painful condition called sciatica. It is a condition when the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back to your feet is irritated or compressed. He was seen struggling to even stand up and walk.

The following year, in July 2021, it was reported that the Pope spent ten days in Gemelli Hospital. It was reported that he underwent surgery for diverticular stenosis of the colon. Reports said about 33 centimeters of the colon was removed at that time.

From March to April 2023, he spent three days in the Gemelli Hospital due to a lung infection. He was diagnosed with acute bronchitis after experiencing difficulty in breathing. He underwent hernia surgery in June 2023. He recovered after a nine-day hospital stay.