From secretions to oxygen, why does the Vatican share a lot of details about the health of the Pope?

There is the first time for everything.

But the phrase “abundant secretions” in The official update from the Vatican On Pope Francis? This level of details may be surprising even for those who do not realize historically how Forbidden He was considered to discuss Pope’s health publicly.

As a leader of the 1.4 billion Catholics world, the Pope is a esteemed spiritual figure. He talks about his earthly health was asleep.

“Reducing the health problems of the Pope is part of the great Vatican tradition. It is often said in Rome that” the Pope is in good health until he dies, and perhaps even shortly, “ French Catholic media Lacroix International in March 2023During another of the hospitals Francis.

However, in Monday updateThe Press Office in the Vatican wrote, “Today the Holy Father presented two episodes of the acute respiratory system, caused by a large accumulation of internal mucus, and the consequent bronchial spasm.

“Therefore, bronchoscopy has been implemented, with the need for abundant secretions.”

This follows weeks of similar daily updates that the Pope has fought double pneumonia at Rome Jimille Hospital since February 14. The kidneys were working And the number of white blood. I have provided details such as the Pope’s use of high flow oxygen and its need for blood transfusion.

“These are very specific details that we have never had in the past,” said David Berlich, the Vatican analyst at CBC, who has been covering the topic over the past 25 years.

“I was surprised by the level of frankness and the level of details.”

So why change?

New transparency

Perlich explained that transparency is definitely new, even for Francis, who was believed to have been considered health for a long time.

Historically, the Vatican worked in a more mysterious way, noticed New York TimesWith a tendency towards jamming. For example, stomach cancer that hit Pope John X II for at least eight months was detected only after his death in 1963.

Pope John Paul II, who lasted Babitia from 1978 to 2005, had clear tremors for years before the Vatican recently confirmed in 2003 that he suffers from Parkinson’s disease. On February 25, 2005, Morning after John Paul II surgery To remove the trachea, the Vatican issued a statement that he was breathing and eating well, and enjoying the included breakfast 10 in Squati. He died a little more than a month later.

“The Vatican is currently a very accurate balance with the health information of the Pope,” said Berlich.

“On the one hand, they want to respect the privacy and dignity of an elderly man in the hospital while he is very sick. On the other hand, there is recognition that he is a leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics in the world, and a world famous personality, people are necessarily curious about the health of the Pope.”

Information in the era of misinformation

Berlic said that if you do not issue accurate information, you will get rumors and speculation.

When Francis was first taken in the hospital, all kinds of reports – real and not – abounded about Francis’ health. They took their own life in the era of chat groups, conspiracy theories and themes on the Internet – not to mention the permanent Roman installation of the Pope, which might succeed.

On February 21, Catholic news site Johar She stated that many of the Pope’s senior assistants were suffering from rumors about the death of Francis or his resignation, as they were on Italian TV to ensure the “things that are said exactly what is happening.”

Perlich said this transparency about his health gives Francis more dignity in a difficult situation – even to information about his “secretion” (which Perlich suggests is in fact more than an Italian translation case).

“There is a lot of dignity that is granted to his illness and a 88 -year -old man because they share information. The cruelty of gossip and speculation is not present.”