Pope Francis spent a peaceful night in the hospital, the Vatican reported on Saturday, as the 88-year-old pontiff continues to battle pneumonia.
“The night was calm, the pope is resting,” the Vatican’s morning update confirmed regarding the Argentine pope, who has been receiving care in a special papal suite at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14.
Since his admission, Francis has faced multiple respiratory crises, the most recent occurring on Monday. However, in recent days, Vatican officials have described his condition as “stable.”
Despite this stability, the pope remains in a “complex clinical condition,” leading the Vatican to maintain a “guarded” prognosis, as stated in Friday’s update.
On Thursday, Francis addressed the public for the first time since his hospitalization through an audio message, expressing gratitude for the prayers being offered for his recovery.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square. I accompany you from here,” he said, his voice sounding frail and breathless, pausing every few words to catch his breath.
On Friday, the pope engaged in some light work and physiotherapy but primarily spent his time resting and praying. According to the Vatican, he also spent approximately 20 minutes in the chapel within his hospital suite.
Francis continues to alternate between an oxygen mask at night and a high-flow oxygen cannula during the day to support his breathing.
In an effort to provide greater transparency, the Vatican has been issuing daily updates on the pope’s condition, including reports on how he slept each night and more detailed medical briefings in the evening.
On Thursday, Vatican officials stated that “given the stability of the clinical picture,” no medical bulletin would be issued on Friday evening, with the next update expected on Saturday.
During previous hospital stays, the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics has appeared on the Gemelli Hospital balcony for his weekly Sunday Angelus prayer. However, he has now missed the last three, and no official statement has been made regarding whether he will make an appearance this weekend.
Throughout his papacy, Francis has faced multiple health challenges, including colon surgery in 2021 and a hernia operation in 2023. However, this current hospitalization stands as the most prolonged and serious of his tenure.
