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LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago
THE VATICAN HAS said that Pope Francis remains in a “critical condition” but that he is “stable”.
An update was issued this evening which said that no acute respiratory episodes have occurred and that Francis’s blood levels continue to be stable.
Francis has also had a CT scan for radiological monitoring of his bilateral pneumonia and the “prognosis remains reserved”, according to the Vatican.
Meanwhile, Francis approved the canonisation of two new saints from his hospital bed, after he “rested well all night long”.
The 88-year-old pontiff, who is being treated for pneumonia in both lungs, has striven to keep up with Church matters during his stay in hospital, as believers across the globe gathered to pray for him.
After a statement last night said Francis was showing a “slight improvement”, the Vatican said this afternoon that he had received the Vatican’s secretary of state the day before, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and his number two, Venezuelan Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra.
Francis approved the canonisation of two Venezuelan and Italian laymen who died in the early 20th century, while authorising the first steps towards sainthood for three 19th century priests from Spain, Italy and Poland, the Vatican said.
In a statement yesterday, the Vatican said there had been “no new respiratory crises” and that “some lab tests have improved”, adding that the pope had ”resumed his work activities” in the afternoon.
The Vatican also noted that Francis called Gaza’s only Catholic parish to express his closeness – since 9 October 2023, two days after the bombings began in Gaza, Francis has been in daily contact with the Holy Family Church.
Today marks the twelfth day that the pontiff will have spent in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, the longest hospitalisation of his papacy. He was admitted to the hospital on 14 February with breathing difficulties.
He was initially diagnosed with bronchitis, but this developed into pneumonia in both lungs, and on Saturday night, the Vatican said for the first time that his condition was critical.
Last night, thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square to pray for the pope.
Those gathered expressed sorrow for his suffering, hope for his recovery and gratitude for his efforts to steer the Catholic Church in new directions.
As Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s No 2, led prayers for 45 minutes on a chilly, rainy night, the faithful fingered rosary beads while hoping for Francis’ recovery.
Still, the mood was mostly grim in the monumental square, with many of the roughly 4,000 assembled understanding they may be in Rome for Francis’ final days.
Crowds sat under umbrellas on folding chairs or stood by the vast colonnades as they reflected fondly on the pontiff’s legacy.
Roberto Allison, a priest from the Mexican state of Guadalajara, said members of his community had come together to show appreciation for “all that we have learned from him”.
Stopping to deliver personal blessings to some at the end of the ceremony, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco said the crowd’s diversity – many world languages could be heard spoken – was “a big sign of comfort” for the Catholic Church.
A couple of Catholic tourists from Chicago, who arrived holding umbrellas well before the service started, said they prayed for the pope at daily Mass earlier at St Peter’s Basilica and decided to come back.
Like many, they found it “hard to process” they may be in Rome for Francis’ final days.
“No one knows the day and time, but it’s a historic moment nonetheless,” said Edward Burjek.
It felt the same for Hatzumi Villanueva of Peru. She was particularly fond of former pope St John Paul II but said that Francis, as the first Latin American pope, “draws a bit closer”.
“We came to pray for the pope, that he may recover soon, for the great mission he’s sharing with his message of peace,” said Villanueva, who praised his empathy for migrants.
Francis’ papacy has also emphasised the defence of the environment and partial openness to LGBTQ+ rights.
Outside of the Vatican, Romans, pilgrims and even non-Catholics said they were offering special prayers for the pope.
“We are all sorry,” said Raniero Mancinelli, who has tailored ceremonial clothing for Francis and the two previous popes in his shop just outside the Vatican’s walls.
Francis’s continued hospitalisation has sparked widespread concern, and fuelled speculation about whether he might step down.
He has always left the door open to following his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who in 2013 became the first pope since the Middle Ages to resign. But he has repeatedly said it was not the time.
With reporting from Press Association
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