Pope Francis’ lung surgery in 1957 and history of respiratory illness
Pope Francis’ last public appearance on Easter Sunday
Pope Francis appeared at the Vatican for Easter Sunday, making it his last public appearance before his death.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, about four weeks after he was released from the hospital following an extended battle with respiratory ailments.
While the Vatican did not immediately specify an official cause of death in its announcement, the pope had spent about five weeks earlier in 2025 hospitalized with a life-threatening case of pneumonia in both his lungs.
Throughout his life, Pope Francis suffered from lung infections. In his native Argentina in 1957, while in his early 20s, he had a severe respiratory infection that resulted in the removal of part of his lung. In recent years, respiratory issues were a recurrent health challenge he faced, as were several other aliments throughout his life.
In 2020, Pope Francis’ health declined
At the end of 2020, Pope Francis had to cancel his appearance at several end-of-year celebrations due to “painful sciatica,” Vatican News reported. In January 2021, he canceled more appearances due to recurring symptoms.
Sciatica is a pain that moves along the sciatic nerve – starting in the lower back and extending down a leg.
In July 2021, Pope Francis underwent surgery for a diverticular stenosis of the colon in which 13 inches of his colon were removed. He spent 10 days at the Gemelli University Hospital for the procedure.
Throughout much of 2022, Pope Francis publicly complained of knee pain and was seen using a walker or wheelchair.
Pope Francis suffered from bronchitis, flu-like symptoms
In the spring of 2023, Pope Francis spent three days at the Gemelli University Hospital due to “a touch of bronchitis.”
In November 2023, the pontiff underwent a CT scan of his lungs due to flu-like symptoms, Vatican News reported. The tests did not show respiratory complications, but Pope Francis canceled a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
In February 2024, Pope Francis visited the Gemelli University Hospital to undergo diagnostic tests for flu-like symptoms.
Pope Francis’ respiratory issues
The Vatican first announced the pope had bronchitis on Feb. 6, 2025 after he canceled several events in early February and had reportedly been struggling to breathe and speak.
On Feb. 14, he was admitted to a Rome hospital and diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia four days later. Feb. 28 was his “worst night” of his five-week hospitalization, according to physician Sergio Alfeieri. He suffered multiple attacks of “acute respiratory insufficiency,” and physicians considered halting treatment to allow Pope Francis to die peacefully.
But on March 23, Pope Francis was released from the hospital and returned to his Vatican residence at the Casa Santa Marta to continue his recovery.
On April 20, he made his final appearance on Easter Sunday, the holiest day in the Christian year.
Pope Francis died on Monday, April 21 at 7:35 a.m. local time (1:35 a.m. ET), Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced to Vatican News.
Contributing: Greta Cross, Eric Lagatta
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