POPE Francis is no longer in “imminent danger” of dying, as he continues to recover from double pneumonia.
The Vatican said on Monday that the Pope, 88, was in a stable condition and responding well to treatment.
The Vatican said the improvements seen in previous days have been “further consolidated”.
But the Vatican said it was too soon to talk about his release, with one source saying “prudence and caution” were still advisable.
The Vatican stated that due to the complexity of the clinical situation and the severity of the infection upon admission, ongoing drug therapy in a hospital environment is crucial in the coming days.
Francis was first rushed to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14, where he has remained ever since.
He was later diagnosed with double-lung pneumonia, and his condition has been up and down.
On Thursday, Francis released a short audio message in his native Spanish thanking people for their prayers.
The 30-second recording was shared with worshippers at the start of the evening Rosary prayer in St Peter’s Square on Thursday.
The great Pontiff’s faint, breathless voice gave a clue to the severity of his condition, shocking many who had spent weeks longing to hear from him.
The cardinal presiding over the touching moment told the crowd he had “beautiful news, a beautiful gift” to share before the clip played.
A pre-recording of the Pope said: “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square, I accompany you from here.
“May God bless you and may the Virgin protect you. Thank you”.
The moved worshippers soon started to applaud the Pope’s bravery for speaking.
Rumours of Pope Francis’ resignation gained momentum amid his illness.
The Vatican has been firm in denying rumours that the Pope is considering a resignation.
How will the next Pope be chosen?
THE next Pope is chosen through a process called a Papal Conclave, which takes place after the current Pope dies or resigns.
Here’s how it works:
- The College of Cardinals is summoned to the Vatican
- The cardinals meet in the Sistine Chapel and vote by a secret ballot
- They will prepare for the upcoming papal elections – called a conclave
- These Catholic leaders will vote once on the first days and four times a day on each additional day
- This vote will continue until one candidate gets two-thirds of the vote
- The nominee must then accept the offer and choose their new papal name
- This outcome will be confirmed to the public when white smoke burns out of the Sistine Chapel chimney
French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, a potential successor to Francis, expressed at a press conference that the range of outcomes remains open.
Despite concerns regarding his well-being, Francis has persisted in fulfilling some of his duties from his hospital bed, including engagements with high-ranking church officials and making phone calls.
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