Pope Francis ‘progressively improving,’ working from hospital amid treatment for respiratory infection

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The Vatican has released an update on the health of Pope Francis following his hospitalization in Rome.

Pope Francis was hospitalized Wednesday after having difficulty breathing recently and tests revealed a respiratory inspection.

“His Holiness Pope Francis rested well during the night,” said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. “The clinical picture is progressively improving, and the planned treatments continue.”

POPE FRANCIS IS HOSPITALIZED FOR ‘RESPIRATORY INFECTION,’ WILL REQUIRE TREATMENT

Pope Francis greets and blesses the faithful during a General Audience at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.  (Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Concern began to grow during a regularly scheduled audience earlier on Wednesday, when Francis seemed to be in relatively good form but grimaced while entering and exiting the “popemobile.”

The pontiff is eating and praying regularly again, according to the Vatican, and will continue his work in a limited capacity as he recovers.

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“This morning after breakfast, he read some newspapers and went back to work,” Bruni said.

St. Peter’s Basilica Vatican, Rome Italy (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins)

He added, “Before lunch he went to the little chapel of the private apartment, where he gathered in prayer and received the Eucharist.”

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Francis canceled all audiences through Friday. It isn’t yet clear if Francis will keep plans relating to the Holy Week.

Pope Francis is 86 years old and has a complicated medical history that requires regular attention from Vatican physicians.

Pope Francis meets children at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Pope Francis went to a Rome hospital on Wednesday for some previously scheduled tests, slipping out of the Vatican after his general audience and before the busy start of Holy Week this Sunday.  (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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He was last hospitalized when he spent 10 days at the Gemelli in July 2021 and had 12 inches of his colon removed.

The pope sent a papal telegram to the Diocese of Nashville in Tennessee on Wednesday in the wake of a school shooting that has devastated the city.

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Pope Francis leads his general weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, Vatican.  ((Photo by Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images))

“Deeply saddened to learn of the recent shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, his Holiness Pope Francis asks you to convey his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of his prayers to all affected by this senseless act of violence,” the telegram read. 

The message concluded, “He likewise invokes the consolation and strength of the Holy Spirit upon the grieving families and prays that they will be confirmed in their faith in the power of the risen Lord to heal every hurt and to bring good out of unspeakable evil.”

Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com