ROME – Pope Francis, recovering from double pneumonia, remained stable and resting on Sunday. He chose to forgo his weekly noon blessing once more to avoid making any public appearances, even briefly.
For the third consecutive weekend, Francis had to cancel his scheduled delivery of the Angelus prayer. In theory, he could have addressed it from his hospital suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital if his health permitted.
Instead, the Vatican planned to distribute the prepared text as Francis continued his recovery.
“The night was quiet, the pope is still resting,” the Vatican said in its Sunday update.
He had no fever or signs of elevated white blood cells, which would signal his body was still fighting an infection.
On Saturday, doctors confirmed that the Pope’s condition remained stable, and no critical concerns were mentioned, indicating ongoing signs of improvement. This positive update followed a respiratory crisis the previous day that necessitated the use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation.
The 88-year-old pope though had a “good response” in his gas exchange levels even during the “long periods” he was off the ventilator mask and only using high-flow supplemental oxygen, the Vatican said.
The pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has lung disease and was admitted to Gemelli on Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened and turned into a complex pneumonia in both lungs.
The fact that Francis was able to use just high-flow oxygen for long periods, without any significant effect on the levels of oxygen in his blood, was a sign his respiratory function was improving.
Doctors were cautious however and kept his prognosis as guarded, meaning he wasn’t out of danger. He was eating and drinking and continued his respiratory physiotherapy, and spent 20 minutes in his private chapel down the hall on Saturday, the Vatican said.
Prayers continued to pour in
Francis’ hospitalization has come as the Vatican is marking its Holy Year, drawing pilgrims to Rome from all over. They are walking through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica and also making pilgrimages to the hilltop Umbrian town of Assisi, to pray at the home of Francis’ namesake, St. Francis.
“Every day we’re praying for the pope,” said the Rev. Jacinto Bento, a priest visiting Assisi on Saturday with a group of 30 Jubilee pilgrims from the Azores Islands. “We’re very sad for his situation.”
In an odd coincidence, Francis was supposed to have presided Saturday over a Holy Year audience in the Vatican’s auditorium for the staff of the Gemelli hospital and other healthcare workers. They came as planned and completed the pilgrimage, while Francis continued his recovery at the hospital.
“We thought we would be able to meet him this morning in Paul VI Hall for the Jubilee Catechesis, but he surprised us by coming to us,” said Monsignor Claudio Giuliodori, spiritual guide of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, of which Gemelli is a part.
Giovanni Frisullo, a Gemelli neurologist, said the atmosphere at Gemelli was one of tension and prayer. “There is a situation of waiting but also of hope,” he said.
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