Pope Francis condition is no longer critical, a Vatican source said yesterday, following a series of clinical improvement for the 88-year-old pontiff, who has been suffering from pneumonia in both lungs.
The Argentine pope had spent the last two weeks at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, with the Vatican reporting gradual improvements in his health in recent days.
A Vatican source stated that “the critical phase has passed, for the moment,” while cautioning that Francis overall condition “remains complex” and his prognosis is still “reserved.”
Earlier on Friday, the Vatican reported that the pope had spent another peaceful night in hospital.
After being hospitalised on
February 14 due to breathing difficulties, concerns grew as his condition worsened into pneumonia in both lungs.
However, there has been no recurrence of the breathing issues he suffered at the weekend and the Vatican has since provided increasingly optimistic medical updates.
On Monday, it announced that Francis had shown a “slight improvement,” and on Tuesday, it described his condition as “critical but stable”—the last time the term “critical” was used.
By Wednesday, the Vatican reported a “further, slight improvement,” and on Thursday, it confirmed that “the Holy Father’s clinical condition continues to improve.”
Despite these improvements, the Vatican has not yet changed the pope’s prognosis from “reserved,” meaning doctors are still cautious about predicting changes in his health.
Medical experts warn that his age and his chronic respiratory condition mean that a full recovery could take time.
“Given the complexity of the clinical picture, further days of clinical stability are necessary before the prognosis can be resolved,” the Vatican said on Thursday.
Francis—who has served as pope since 2013—has continued to work from the hospital, where he is staying in a special papal suite on the 10th floor.
The Vatican added that he has been doing breathing exercises between periods of rest and prayer.
This hospital stay is the fourth of his nearly 12-year papacy and the longest till date. In recent years, he has undergone colon surgery and a hernia operation, while persistent knee and hip pain have left him reliant on a wheelchair.
There has been speculation about whether Francis might resign, particularly given his packed schedule during preparations for the upcoming Holy Jubilee year.
“If the pope recovers, many believe he will want to complete the Jubilee year. However, once he turns 89, he may face the question of whether to resign,” Italian Vatican expert, Marco Politi told AFP.
