'Dying' Pope Latest: Vatican Issues Update on Pontiff's Health in Wake of 'Funeral Rehearsal' — As Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Visits 88-Year-Old's Hospital Bedside
Pope Francis was recently rushed to the hospital as the world waits to learn if he will pull through.
Feb. 20 2025, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
An update on Pope Francis' health has been issued by the Vatican, after the 88-year-old reportedly told aides he wouldn't "survive" and was "bracing for death."
The pontiff has been battling pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni even paid him a visit, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Pope Francis' latest health update is positive despite him 'bracing for death.'
According to the Vatican, Francis got out of bed and ate breakfast in an armchair on Thursday morning. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Pope had slept well.
Previously, it was reported Francis was rushed to the hospital, where it was discovered he had pneumonia in both lungs. His condition was diagnosed as a "polymicrobial respiratory tract infection," which signifies a blend of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
The Pope resisted going to the hospital at first but "was told in no uncertain terms that he was at risk of dying if he stayed in his room in the Vatican," a report stated at the time.
Meanwhile, Meloni paid the Pope a visit on Wednesday, who said he was "alert and responsive."
The 88-year-old is said to have gotten out of bed to eat breakfast while at the hospital.
Despite his bad health, it was reported Francis still joked about people betting on his death, as Meloni said he "hasn't lost his proverbial sense of humor."
On the same day, it was said the Swiss Guard, which protects the Pope, was rehearsing his funeral, as they were "preparing for the pontiff's death."
Due to his health struggles, the Vatican announced they are canceling events for the upcoming week.
The world has gotten to know the Pope better the last couple of months, mainly due to his bombshell memoir, Hope: The Autobiography of Pope Francis, which was released worldwide on January 14, 2025.
The book – ghost-written by Italian journalist Carlo Musso – became the first memoir ever written by a sitting Pope.
In the memoir, Francis explained how he considered going into the medical field before he realized he really wanted to "become a doctor of the soul."
Francis was ordained as a priest in 1969 at 33 years old, and in 2013, he became Pope Benedict XVI.
The pontiff has been battling pneumonia.
The book also explained that despite being a public figure, he's never enjoyed attending parties as he's always been "melancholy."
The Pope's highly-anticipated memoir, however, did not come without drama as weeks before the its intended release, an employee at Kösel-Verlag, the imprint at Penguin Random House Germany, got an e-mail from a person who claimed to be Musso.
After exchanging a few more emails, the German employee for the publisher ended up sending over a file of the manuscript to the person who they believed was the co-author.
To their dismay, the person was an imposter, and just a few hours later, the manuscript was uploaded into a major book-piracy portal.
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Francis reportedly joked people are taking bets on his death.
At the time, the head of P.R. at Kösel-Verlag stated: "Fraudsters have obtained a version of the Italian manuscript of ‘HOPE’ through criminal activity. Kösel-Verlag has reported the incident to the authorities, and legal proceedings are underway."
Penguin Random House Germany reported the incident to police.
