Pope Francis.Photo: James Devaney/GC Images
Pope Francishas been hospitalized with a respiratory infection, according to the Vatican.
The 86-year-old pontiff will spend"a few days"at a hospital in Rome, according to the BBC and CNN.
In a statement, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the Pope recently “complained of some respiratory difficulties” before visiting Policlinico A. Gemelli for “medical checks,” per CNN.
Before he was hospitalized, the pontiff spoke at his weekly general audience at St Peter’s Square on Wednesday, per the outlets. Afterwards, he was taken to the hospital for what the Vatican said at the time were “previously scheduled tests.”
His schedule for Thursday has since been cleared, according to CNN.
Pope Francis.Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto via Getty
The pope’s hospitalization comes as the Catholic Church prepares for one of its biggest holidays: Easter.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In December, the Pope revealed to a Spanish newspaper that he hadpenned a resignation letternearly a decade ago.
“I signed it and said: ‘If I should become impaired for medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation,’ " the pontiff said at the time.
In July, the Pope — who occassionally uses a wheelchair and delayed a trip last yeardue to knee problems— told reporters that he had notconsidered retirementuntil after a recent six-day trip to Canada, adding that changing pontiffs “is not a catastrophe.”
“I either need to save myself a little in order to continue serving the Church, or I need to consider the possibility of stepping aside,” he said at the time.
source: people.com
