VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, remains in critical condition for the fourth day running but is stable and has not had any further respiratory crises, the Vatican said on Tuesday (Feb 25).
The 88-year-old pope was spending his 12th night at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, the longest hospital stay of his papacy.
“The clinical conditions of the Holy Father remain critical, but stable,” the latest forthright health update read.
The pope’s prognosis, it said, remains “guarded”. But his hemodynamic parameters, a measure of the functioning of his body’s circulatory system, were also “stable”.
A Vatican official, who did not wish to be named because he was not authorised to discuss the pope’s condition, said earlier on Tuesday that Pope Francis was eating normally, moving about his hospital room, and continuing his treatment.
The Vatican also revealed that Pope Francis had met his second-in-line, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Parolin’s deputy on Monday.
It said they had discussed several pending cases for sainthood. In addition, the Vatican announced new appointments that would have needed the pope’s approval.
Pope Francis has been working occasionally from the hospital as Vatican business continues apace during his illness.
The pope’s only other known VIP visitor was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who saw him on Feb 19.
On Monday, the Vatican said the pontiff’s condition remained critical but had shown a “slight improvement”, adding that a “mild kidney insufficiency”, first reported at the weekend, was not a cause for concern.
Tuesday’s statement did not mention kidney issues.
Cardinal Luis Tagle, a senior Vatican official, led a prayer service for Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square on Tuesday evening attended by pilgrims and senior Church figures. The service is being repeated daily this week.
Tagle prayed for the pope’s health, and asked that he would experience “the solidarity and closeness of the Christian community”.
