Pope Francis, who remains hospitalised with severe pneumonia affecting both lungs, has shown a slight improvement, according to a statement from the Vatican on Monday. However, medical professionals have refrained from making any definitive prognosis regarding his recovery.
The Vatican’s evening update highlighted that the 88-year-old pontiff had not experienced further asthmatic respiratory attacks and that some of his laboratory test results had improved. Despite his condition, Francis continued with light duties in the afternoon after receiving the Eucharist earlier in the day.
As concerns over his health persist worldwide, a gathering of faithful, alongside dozens of cardinals, convened in St Peter’s Square on Monday evening to pray the rosary. The service was led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, as an expression of solidarity for the leader of the Catholic Church, who has served since 2013.
The pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on 14 February after experiencing breathing difficulties. His condition later deteriorated into double pneumonia. While he has required oxygen therapy, the Vatican noted that oxygen levels were slightly reduced on Monday. Nevertheless, officials warned that, given the complexity of his condition, doctors were not in a position to make predictions regarding his recovery.
Medical experts have indicated that the treatments being administered will take time to produce results, and earlier assessments confirmed that Francis would remain in hospital for at least the remainder of the week. The Vatican has been providing twice-daily updates, with sources confirming that the pope spent a restful night and was not experiencing pain. They added that he was eating normally and remained in good spirits, even making a call to a priest in Gaza in the evening.
This latest hospital stay, the longest of Francis’s nearly 12-year tenure, has sparked an outpouring of prayers and well wishes from around the globe. Messages of support have been left outside the hospital, while religious leaders and political figures have expressed their concern. During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House, US President Donald Trump acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, stating, “It’s a very serious situation but we do want him to get well if that’s possible.”
The Vatican first acknowledged the gravity of the pope’s condition on Saturday, revealing that he had endured a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis. Doctors have treated him with high-flow oxygen and blood transfusions due to low platelet levels. On Sunday, reports indicated the presence of mild renal failure, though Vatican officials stated on Monday that the issue was not a cause for concern.
At the Gemelli Hospital, chaplain Nunzio Corrao led prayers for the pope, urging believers to “hope against hope” for his recovery. Outside the hospital, well-wishers placed candles in tribute, while Professor Sergio Alfieri, the head of the medical team overseeing Francis’s care, identified sepsis as a major concern, warning that bacteria entering the bloodstream could pose a life-threatening risk.
The pope’s ongoing health struggles have reignited speculation about a potential resignation, particularly as he previously expressed openness to following the example of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who stepped down in 2013 due to deteriorating health. However, Francis has dismissed such discussions for now, with Jesuit theologian Antonio Spadaro affirming that the pope remains actively engaged in his pastoral duties, even from his hospital bed.
German Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, speaking to Corriere della Sera, dismissed speculation about succession, stating, “The pope is alive, and now is the time to pray, not to think about his successor.” However, he acknowledged the inevitable, remarking, “We all must die. There is no eternal earthly life. The pope has a special role, but he is, in the end, a man like any other.”
