What Is Bronchitis? The Lung Infection That Led To Pope Francis’ Severe Pneumonia

Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff in history, had been under medical observation since the beginning of 2025 due to various health issues.

He was later diagnosed with double pneumonia after doctors initially identified Bronchitis.

Having undergone lung surgery in his youth due to a lung disease, Pope Francis faced ongoing health battles. After a critical health decline, he passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, i.e. 21st April, 2025.

Also read: ‘If You Won’t Marry Me, I’ll Be a Priest’: The Childhood Rejection at 12 That Made Pope Francis

What is bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a condition in which the airways in your lungs, called the Trachea and the Bronchi, get inflamed and fill with mucus. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), Bronchitis can be acute, short-term, and chronic, long-term.

Causes of acute and chronic bronchitis

As per NIH, acute Bronchitis occurs due to viral infections such as influenza and cold. Wherin, for the case of chronic Bronchitis, individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience emphysema and asthma.

Here's a list of how a patient develops chronic Bronchitis:

• Cigarette smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke (cigarette smoke from someone else)
• Older age
• Exposure to fumes or certain kinds of dust
• A family history of COPD
• A history of respiratory diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, or bronchiectasis.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)