Pope Francis, 88, remains hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic after being diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, AFP news agency reported. His clinical picture remains "complex," the Vatican confirmed in a medical bulletin issued Tuesday.

"The chest CT scan to which the Holy Father underwent this afternoon [...] showed the appearance of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological treatment. Nevertheless, Pope Francis is in good spirits," the official report stated. In addition, the Vatican detailed that the polymicrobial infection he is suffering from developed in a context of bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis, which has made his treatment with antibacterial therapy and corticoids difficult.

Due to his health condition, the pontiff has cancelled his engagements until next Sunday, including his Jubilee audience on Saturday. Despite the seriousness of the diagnosis, Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni assured that the pope's condition is stable. "After spending a peaceful night, Francis woke up, had breakfast and read some newspapers as he usually does," said Bruni, who added that the supreme pontiff has spent the day "alternating rest with prayer and reading texts."

A papacy that defies tradition

Pope Francis' hospitalization, the fourth in less than four years, has reopened the debate over his succession and the future of the Vatican. The pontiff's health has been the subject of speculation in recent months, especially after his statements in a book published in 2024, where he claimed to have "no reason serious enough to think about resigning." However, he left open the possibility in case of "serious physical impediment".

Unlike his predecessors, Francis has been a pope who has generated profound transformations within the Catholic Church, which has also earned him strong opposition from some conservative sectors. Among his most controversial positions is his fight to eradicate sexual abuse within the Church, a task that has faced major internal obstacles. In 2019, the pope approved the "Vos estis lux mundi" norm, which obliges priests and bishops to denounce cases of abuse, a measure that caused divisions within the clergy.

It has also opened the debate on the role of women in the Church by allowing them to perform functions in ministries previously reserved only for men, such as the lectorate and the acolyte. He has also been an advocate of respect for same-sex couples, stating in 2020 that "homosexual persons have the right to be in a family", statements that generated rejection among some cardinals and bishops of ultra-conservative tendency.

Rebellions and divisions

In recent years, Francis has faced growing opposition within the Roman Curia itself. In 2019, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former nuncio to the United States, published an open letter calling for the pope's resignation over his alleged inaction in cases of clerical sex abuse. In 2023, Cardinal Raymond Burke led a group of prelates who expressed "deep concern" about Francis' reforms, especially around synodality and the role of the laity in the Church.

The conservative wing has also criticized the pontiff's stance on liturgical tradition. In 2021, Francis limited the celebration of the Tridentine Mass, which provoked a wave of adverse reactions among the more traditionalist sectors.

Papal Succession

Pope Francis' delicate health condition has put the possibility of a transition in the leadership of the Catholic Church back on the table. Although the pontiff remains conscious and is bravely facing treatment, his advanced age and recurrent health problems generate uncertainty about the future of the Vatican. The eventual election of a successor would be key to defining the direction of the institution, especially in terms of the reforms pushed by Francis.

But sensibilities must be in an uproar in Rome: many remember that these have not been quiet times for the successor of St. Peter. Pope Benedict XVI resigned his papacy and retired to the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican Gardens. He was the first Supreme Pontiff to resign in 600 years of Vatican tradition and died on December 31, 2022.

In the event of the pontiff's resignation or death, a conclave would be convened in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals would elect the new pope. The election could reflect the existing division between reformist and conservative sectors, determining whether Francis' legacy will endure or whether a shift towards more traditional positions will be sought.

For now, the pope's health remains under observation and his immediate future is linked to the evolution of his medical treatment. Meanwhile, faithful around the world continue to pray for his speedy recovery, aware that the Vatican could be entering a period of crucial changes in its recent history.