The arrest of Pope Francis: in the Vatican, confusion, shock and surprise

Rome. – Confusion, shock and tremendous surprise. Those are the feelings Vaticanas no one expected the Pope to be hospitalized with a respiratory infection for “a few days” – no one knows for how long -, just as Holy Week approached.

Although the Vatican, in its first statement, spoke of the arrest of L Scheduled Checkswithout stating the reason, and in the second, four hours later, he announced the presence of a Respiratory infection After the pope suffered “Difficulties breathing in the past days”Everything indicated that something completely unexpected had precipitated things.

Surprise reigned in her Saint Martha’s House, the clergy hotel where Francis lives, in the Vatican. there Argentine judge Roberto Andrés Gallardowho knows Jorge Bergoglio Since 2003 and so on He was with him in the last daysHe did not hide his surprise.

“I was with him and saw him as good, cool, full of energy, full of creativity”Gallardo told LA NACION, who organized a The Judges Summit on “Colonialism, Decolonization, and Neocolonialism: A Social Justice and Common Good Perspective.”within the scope of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

The event that starts this Thursday in the Vatican is also attended by other judges, such as Eugenio Zavarone and other academics from various Latin American countries, Francisco was to be closed on Friday afternoon.

“Despite his knee problems and in a much appreciated gesture, The Pope assured me that he would come to Casina Pío IV as he was dealing with topics of interest to him to be discussed.Gallardo, who has chaired the Pan-American Commission of Judges for Social Rights and the Franciscan Faith since 2018, and who has already organized two other such events in the Vatican, highlighted the last one in 2019.

Besides surprise, concern, and shock, many in the Vatican commented on this Francisco’s stubborn attitude of not taking care of himself and “doesn’t stop”, given his age and the health problems he’s been experiencing lately. In this sense, many commented on Several interviews he has given, including an interview with LA NACIONOn the tenth anniversary of his pontificate, in which he also appears in good condition.

A source told LA NACION that In the past three weeks, Francisco has gone at least twice a Agostino Gemelli University Hospital – where he was admitted to the hospital – because of the controls, But incognitoin his car, a sober blue Ford Focus.

This time, due to an unexpected illness, which was probably dragging him down because he was reluctant to think about his health, He had to go by ambulance to Gemelli. and stay.

Francisco had commented on February 5, with his usual Buenos Aires sense of humor, when answering a question about his health at the press conference he gave on the flight that brought him back from his last international trip: “It is already known that Mala never dies.” To the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. A six-day trip to two countries in the heart of Africa, with tropical temperatures, use it Wheel chair They were cheered by hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets.

On that occasion, the pope admitted it no longer feels like “at the beginning of the papacy,” on condition “That annoying knee.”. Something, however, hasn’t stopped him from scheduling other trips. No matter what you’re planning Hungary at the end of AprilOn his agenda there is something else Lisbon, Portugal, on the occasion of World Youth Day, in August. next to, I can go on September 23 to Marseille, France, For the meeting of bishops from the Mediterranean ports and from there fly to Mongolia.