Pope Francis Health

By embarking aged 87 on the farthest journey of his papacy, Pope Francis is doing something some believed impossible -- and seeking to silence those who doubt his ability to fulfil his role.

Pope Francis decried the state of democracy and warned against "populists" during a short visit to Trieste in Italy's northeast on Sunday ahead of a 12-day trip to Asia -- the longest of his papacy.

Pope Francis skipped readings at his Wednesday weekly audience, delegating the task to an aide and telling the faithful he was still not well.

Pope Francis, who has shunned much of the Vatican's pomp and privilege, has decided to vastly simplify the elaborate funeral rites for a pontiff by being the first one to be buried outside the Vatican in more than a century.

Pope Francis on Thursday said he was suffering from a highly infectious and acute form of bronchitis that has prevented him from making the trip to Dubai this weekend for the COP28 climate summit.

Pope Francis left hospital on Friday after undergoing a hernia operation and headed to the Vatican, where his health will be under increasing scrutiny ahead of a busy summer.

Pope Francis described on Sunday an "acute and strong" pneumonia that led to his hospitalisation last month, but the 86-year-old pontiff said he was determined to keep travelling.

Pope Francis's health is improving after spending a night in hospital with a respiratory infection, the Vatican announced Thursday, saying the 86-year-old had eaten breakfast, read the newspapers and even done some work.

Pope Francis revealed in a new interview published on Sunday that after he was elected in 2013 he signed a letter of resignation to be used if someday severe and permanent health problems made it impossible to carry out his duties.

Pope Francis named a Vatican nurse who he said had "saved my life" to become his personal healthcare aide Thursday, a new role in response to his recent health problems.

Brazilian health authorities authorized Covid-19 vaccines for children age five to 11 on Wednesday, as South America's most populous country faces a rapid increase in cases due to holiday gatherings and the arrival of the Omicron variant.

Health workers have a non-negotiable right to exercise conscientious objection by refusing to participate in an abortion, Pope Francis said on Thursday, calling the procedure "murder".

Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital on Sunday afternoon for "scheduled surgery" on his colon later in the day, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis expects to die in Rome, still the Catholic pontiff, without returning to spend his final days in his native Argentina, according to a new book titled "The Health of Popes."

Pope Francis on Sunday called for a global commitment to put out the fires in the Amazon, saying the area was essential for the health of the planet.

By embarking aged 87 on the farthest journey of his papacy, Pope Francis is doing something some believed impossible -- and seeking to silence those who doubt his ability to fulfil his role.

Pope Francis decried the state of democracy and warned against "populists" during a short visit to Trieste in Italy's northeast on Sunday ahead of a 12-day trip to Asia -- the longest of his papacy.

Pope Francis skipped readings at his Wednesday weekly audience, delegating the task to an aide and telling the faithful he was still not well.

Pope Francis, who has shunned much of the Vatican's pomp and privilege, has decided to vastly simplify the elaborate funeral rites for a pontiff by being the first one to be buried outside the Vatican in more than a century.

Pope Francis on Thursday said he was suffering from a highly infectious and acute form of bronchitis that has prevented him from making the trip to Dubai this weekend for the COP28 climate summit.

Pope Francis left hospital on Friday after undergoing a hernia operation and headed to the Vatican, where his health will be under increasing scrutiny ahead of a busy summer.

Pope Francis described on Sunday an "acute and strong" pneumonia that led to his hospitalisation last month, but the 86-year-old pontiff said he was determined to keep travelling.

Pope Francis's health is improving after spending a night in hospital with a respiratory infection, the Vatican announced Thursday, saying the 86-year-old had eaten breakfast, read the newspapers and even done some work.

Pope Francis revealed in a new interview published on Sunday that after he was elected in 2013 he signed a letter of resignation to be used if someday severe and permanent health problems made it impossible to carry out his duties.

Pope Francis named a Vatican nurse who he said had "saved my life" to become his personal healthcare aide Thursday, a new role in response to his recent health problems.

Brazilian health authorities authorized Covid-19 vaccines for children age five to 11 on Wednesday, as South America's most populous country faces a rapid increase in cases due to holiday gatherings and the arrival of the Omicron variant.

Health workers have a non-negotiable right to exercise conscientious objection by refusing to participate in an abortion, Pope Francis said on Thursday, calling the procedure "murder".

Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital on Sunday afternoon for "scheduled surgery" on his colon later in the day, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis expects to die in Rome, still the Catholic pontiff, without returning to spend his final days in his native Argentina, according to a new book titled "The Health of Popes."

Pope Francis on Sunday called for a global commitment to put out the fires in the Amazon, saying the area was essential for the health of the planet.