Pope Francis had breathing crisis in hospital, Vatican says

Pope Francis suffered a bronchial spasm on Friday that resulted in him breathing in vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said in relaying a setback in his two-week long battle against double pneumonia.The 88-year-old pope responded well, with a good level of gas exchange, and remained conscious and alert at all times, the Vatican said in its late update.The development marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb.14.The episode, which occurred in the early afternoon, resulted in a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors decided to keep his prognosis as guarded.The Vatican has already made alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, making clear Francis still had a long road ahead.

Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 ceremony and procession that inaugurates the church’s solemn Lenten season leading up to Easter in April.Earlier Friday, Francis had spent the morning alternating high flows of supplemental oxygen with a mask and praying in the chapel.He had had breakfast, read the day’s newspapers and was receiving respiratory physiotherapy, the Vatican said.Doctors did not resume referring to Francis in “critical condition,” which has been absent from their statements for three days.In Mexico City, a few dozen people gathered Thursday night at the cathedral to pray for Francis’ recovery.“He is like part of the family,” said Araceli Gutiérrez, who treasures the time she saw the pope during his trip to the country of nearly 100 million Catholics in 2016.

“That’s why we feel so concerned for him.”María Teresa Sánchez, who was visiting from Colombia with her sister, said that she has always felt close to Francis — the first Latin American pope.“That’s like having a relative within the higher-ups, with God,” she said....