Pope spends ‘restful night’ in hospital after jovial chat with Meloni

ROME — Pope Francis was in jovial mood when Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni popped in to visit him in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he is fighting off pneumonia in both lungs, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Thursday.

“The doctors have said that I have to watch my health, otherwise I would go straight to heaven,” the 88-year-old pontiff said, according to the report. “I know that there are people outside there who say my time has come,” he added.

Meloni visited the pope on Wednesday, for an audience lasting around 20 minutes. Her office subsequently reported that Francis had been awake and alert.

“We joked constantly. He has not lost his proverbial sense of humour,” Meloni said after the visit.

Earlier on Thursday, the Vatican reported that the pope had spent a sixth “restful night” in hospital without further complication.

He had got up and taken breakfast in an armchair, the Vatican statement said.

The pope was admitted on Friday after falling ill with bronchitis. Concerns grew following a Tuesday update in which the Vatican reported that he was suffering from double pneumonia.

On Wednesday evening, the Vatican stated that the pope’s condition remained “stable” and that blood tests had shown a “slight improvement,” particularly in lung inflammation.

No discharge date has been announced, and his scheduled events have been cancelled for the coming days.