INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Pope Francis was taken to hospital on Friday with bronchitis and he will skip several planned public events over the next three days, the
admitted to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue his treatment for bronchitis, which is
week.Francis will not take part in a Mass in St
Cinecitta film studios were cancelled.Francis, who has been pontiff since 2013, has had influenza and other health problems several times
As a young adult he developed a case of pleurisy and had part of one of his lungs removed, and in recent times he has been prone to lung
later described as bronchitis.The pope held several meetings on Friday before going to hospital
One was with Mark Thompson, CEO of the CNN news channel
held meetings with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, senior Vatican official Cardinal Luis Tagle and with a Catholic philanthropy group
speaking in a soft tone.Francis has been suffering with respiratory issues since mid-December
He begged off reading statements at several of his public events in January and February, attending the occasions but asking aides to read
his prepared remarks.The pope also had two falls recently at his Vatican residence, bruising his chin in December and injuring his arm in
January.Despite his periodic health issues and reduced mobility, Francis has kept up a busy schedule, including foreign travel
the city, has a special suite for treating popes
