Pope Francis diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, Vatican says

Laboratory tests and chest X-rays continued to reveal a "complex" medical picture, the Vatican said. 

"The polymicrobial infection, which arose on a picture of bronchiectasis and asmatiform bronchitis, and which required the use of antibiotic cortisone therapy, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex," a Vatican statement said.

The statement said the 88-year-old pontiff was in a good mood and received the Eucharist earlier Tuesday morning. 

The pope is no stranger to health struggles. At the age of 21, he had part of his lung removed after developing pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the membranes that cushion the lungs.

Pope Francis has struggled with multiple health battles over the last few years, including surgeries in 2021 and 2023, as well as long-standing knee issues, which have resulted in his using a wheelchair.

The Vatican News, the news arm of the Holy See, said Francis slept well on Monday evening. On Tuesday, the Holy See Press Office announced that the pope would not preside at Mass for the Jubilee of Deacons, which is scheduled for Sunday.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf and The Associated Press contributed to this report.