VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis remains critically ill with double pneumonia but has shown slight signs of improvement, the Vatican said on Monday.
The 88-year-old pontiff has now spent 11 nights in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, marking his longest hospital stay in nearly 12 years as pope.
“The clinical conditions of the Holy Father, in their critical nature, show a slight improvement,” the health update stated.
The pope is still receiving oxygen, it added, “although with a slightly reduced flow and oxygen percentage”.
It also noted that the “mild kidney insufficiency” first reported on Sunday was “not a cause for concern”.
A Vatican official, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to discuss the pope’s condition, earlier said Francis was eating normally and able to get up and move around his hospital room.
Monday’s statement confirmed that the pope had resumed work in the afternoon and, in the evening, made a phone call to the Catholic parish in Gaza – something he has done frequently during the Israel-Hamas war.
On Sunday, the Vatican described the pope’s condition as critical for a second consecutive day. A day earlier, it said he had required a blood transfusion after suffering a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis”.
Monday’s update reported that the pope had not experienced further respiratory crises and that some of his test results “have improved”.
Double pneumonia is a serious infection that inflames and scars both lungs, making breathing difficult. The Vatican has described the pope’s illness as “complex”, attributing it to multiple microorganisms.
Francis, who has served as pope since 2013, has faced recurring health problems over the past two years. He is particularly vulnerable to lung infections due to a bout of pleurisy in his youth, which led to the partial removal of one lung.
Cardinals Speculate
The pope’s prolonged illness has triggered an unusual level of public speculation among cardinals, the most senior figures in the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church after the pontiff.
New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is not known to be close to Francis and relied solely on official medical updates, suggested in a Sunday homily that the pope was “probably close to death”.
Meanwhile, German Cardinal Gerhard Müller, a former Vatican official who has clashed with Francis on doctrinal matters, criticised those publicly speculating about the pope’s health or planning for a conclave – the secret gathering of cardinals to elect a new pope.
Speaking to Italy’s Corriere della Sera, Müller said that cardinals were not receiving any additional information beyond what was publicly available.
“The pope is still alive, and this is a moment for prayer,” he said. “Anyone thinking about the future while Francis is in hospital is doing no good.”
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s second-highest official, led a prayer service for Francis in St Peter’s Square on Monday evening, joined by pilgrims and senior Church figures. The service is set to be held daily.
Parolin prayed that the Virgin Mary would “sustain (Francis) in this moment of sickness and trial, and help him recover his health soon”.
Outside Gemelli Hospital, groups gathered to pray for Francis near a statue of the late Pope John Paul II, who was frequently treated at the facility during his 1978-2005 papacy.
Maria Vozlv, a Ukrainian resident of Rome for 18 years, said many in her homeland were deeply concerned.
The pontiff has repeatedly condemned the ongoing war in Ukraine and called for peace.
“We Ukrainians are really praying for him,” Vozlv said. “He needs to get well and come home.”
