A "thumbs up" from the Hospital Window As Pope Francis Makes First Public Appearance: Vatican Updates

The Holy See Press Office says on Friday the timing for Pope Francis’ eventual discharge from Gemelli Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment since Feb. 14, is still uncertain.

Due to a better exchange of gasses, the pope’s high-flow oxygen therapy has been reduced during the day. High-flow oxygen is now used at night in place of noninvasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican communications organ says.

The 88-year-old pontiff did not have any visitors at the hospital in recent days, which he has spent receiving treatment, doing respiratory and physical therapy, in work, and in prayer.

After over a month in the hospital for chronic and acute respiratory infections, including double pneumonia, the Holy See Press Office notes that Pope Francis is in stable condition and showing “small improvements.”

The text of the pope’s weekly message for the Angelus is expected to be published and distributed on Sunday.

Doctors are not expected to issue another medical bulletin before Monday, March 24, the press office says.

As the Pontifical Urban College for the Propagation of the Faith prepares to lead the rosary prayer for the pope on Friday night, Pope Francis continues to serve the Church, according to Archbishop Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states at the Vatican.

Gallager celebrated a Mass for the pontiff’s health on Thursday, March 21, as the pope continues his medical treatment at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.

During his homily at the Church of Gesù in Rome, the English archbishop emphasized that despite his illness, the Holy Father continues serving “the Church and humanity, albeit in a different way.”

“In this moment of human fragility, he serves the Church and humanity no less effectively, although he does so in a different way,” Gallagher stated at the Jesuit church where several ambassadors to the Holy See gathered to pray for Francis’ recovery from bilateral pneumonia.

The archbishop centered his homily on divine love, noting that in today’s world, where “darkness sometimes seems to prevail over light,” spiritual renewal during Lent can “lead us to the path of encounter.”

He highlighted ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, and other regions, calling Christians to “spread the values of love, justice, and peace.”

Every day, letters of love and support pour in for Pope Francis. Since his hospitalization, mail to the Vatican has surged up to 330 pounds more per day!

Pope Francis has now spent 33 days hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since his admission on Feb. 14 as Vatican officials continue to provide updates on the 88-year-old pontiff’s condition.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, firmly denied rumors of papal resignation discussions during his recent visits to Pope Francis.

The cardinal said he found the Holy Father “in better condition” during his March 9 visit compared with earlier encounters.

Despite his delicate health, Pope Francis remains actively involved in Church governance. “The pope gives his instructions,” Parolin emphasized, confirming that Francis continues to make necessary decisions while hospitalized.

A recent example of Pope Francis’ ongoing papal activity includes gifting his Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by former U.S. President Joe Biden, to the metropolitan cathedral of Buenos Aires, where he served as archbishop before he was elected pope in 2013.

Meanwhile, prayers persist for the pontiff’s recovery. The Apostolic Vatican Archive and the Vatican Apostolic Library will animate a rosary prayer service, guided by Archbishop Angelo Vincenzo Zani, archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church.

Doctors say Wednesday that Pope Francis’ condition continues to improve and he is no longer using noninvasive mechanical ventilation.

According to the March 19 medical update from the Vatican, the pontiff has also reduced his use of high-flow oxygen therapy.

The pontiff’s 34th day in the hospital included the concelebration of a Mass in the morning for the solemnity of St. Joseph as well as both respiratory and physical therapy.

The Holy See Press Office says the pope also spent time in prayer and doing work. While the infections in his lung are still present, they are “under control,” it adds.

The Vatican also notes that due to Francis’ stable situation, the next medical bulletin will be issued sometime next week. The Vatican will also provide information on the pope to journalists on Friday, March 21, and on Monday, March 24.

Pope Francis connects hope with vocational discernment in his message for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which the Church observes to foster awareness about the importance of vocations.

“Vocation is a precious gift that God sows in hearts, a call to step outside oneself to undertake a journey of love and service,” writes Francis in his address released by the Vatican on March 19.

The pope describes vocations on the solemnity of St. Joseph as developing through “trust in providence” and says Christian hope becomes “a certainty rooted in faith in God, who works in the history of every person.”

Meanwhile, Italian President Sergio Mattarella has congratulated Pope Francis on marking his 12th anniversary as pontiff.

“Together with me, the Italian people are grateful to you for these 12 years in which you have offered the most authentic witness of evangelical values, in constant service not only to the Catholic Church but to all humanity,” Mattarella writes, according to ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner.

The president recalls the pope’s contributions to international discussions on important issues.

“I wish to highlight the unprecedented points of reflection that your high magisterium has placed at the center of debate within important multilateral forums,” he notes, referencing the pope’s participation in U.N. climate conferences, G7 and G20 summits.

Mattarella mentions Francis’ “vibrant call to rediscover hope” and his advocacy against “the abandonment of logic based on force and prevarication.”

The president concludes his message by expressing gratitude for the pope’s attention to Italy and offering “sincere wishes for well-being in the continuation of the pontificate, along with heartfelt wishes for a prompt recovery.”

The Roman Rota tribunal leads the rosary prayer this evening with Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, the dean of the tribunal, presiding.

Pope Francis’ doctors have reduced his reliance on mechanical ventilation at night and high-flow oxygen therapy during the day, the Vatican says Tuesday evening.

The 88-year-old pope’s health remains stable but complex, with slight improvements in his respiratory and motor functions.

The Vatican confirmed that he did not require mechanical ventilation overnight on Monday but continued using high-flow nasal oxygen support. However, mechanical ventilation has not been completely suspended. 

Despite his condition, the pope continues his daily routine, including physiotherapy, work, and prayer. Pope Francis is following a diet prescribed by his doctors that consists of solid food.

A new medical bulletin is expected Wednesday at 7 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, the Vatican has not provided details regarding a potential visit from King Charles III, stating that such announcements are typically made closer to the date. A prepared catechesis is expected to be released tomorrow morning for Wednesday’s general audience.

Pope Francis, whose health remains “stable with slight improvements” according to the latest Vatican bulletin, reflects on how human fragility can provide clarity about life’s priorities in a letter written to an Italian newspaper.

“Human fragility has the power to make us more lucid about what endures and what passes, what brings life and what kills,” the 88-year-old pontiff writes in his message to Luciano Fontana, editor-in-chief of the Italian daily paper Corriere della Sera.

The letter, dated March 14 and written from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, responds to Fontana’s message of support during his illness.

“We must disarm words, to disarm minds and disarm the Earth,” Francis writes, asking the journalist to “relaunch and amplify his appeal for peace and disarmament.”

In the letter, the Holy Father addresses those working in media, emphasizing the critical role of thoughtful communication in a world connected by real-time technologies.

“Words are never just words: They are facts that shape human environments,” he writes. “They can connect or divide, serve the truth or use it for other ends.”

Despite his hospitalization, the papal letter shows Francis remains focused on his persistent calls for peace amid ongoing global conflicts, suggesting that “diplomacy and international organizations are in need of new vitality and credibility.”

“While war only devastates communities and the environment, without offering solutions to conflicts,” the pope writes, religions can help “rekindle the desire for fraternity and justice, the hope for peace.”

This evening, the Apostolic Penitentiary — the Vatican’s tribunal handling matters of forgiveness and penance — will lead the rosary prayer service, with Cardinal Angelo De Donatis serving as the prayer leader.

According to yesterday’s medical update from the Vatican Press Office, the pope “is using high-flow oxygenation with nasal cannulas less frequently and, at times, can do without oxygen therapy.”

Pope Francis’ medical condition remains “stable with slight improvements” with the help of respiratory and motor therapies, the Vatican says Monday evening.

“He is using high-flow oxygenation with nasal cannulas less frequently and, at times, can do without oxygen therapy. At night, he uses noninvasive mechanical ventilation,” the Holy See Press Offices statement reads.

Addressing concerns about the 88-year-old pontiff’s swollen hand that was visible in a photo released Sunday, the Vatican said “decreased mobility” was the cause for the swelling but that it “has already improved today.”

“The pope spent the day between prayer, rest, and doing some work,” the health update concludes.

The next medical bulletin will be released on Wednesday.

The Vatican has shared the first photo of Pope Francis since he entered Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 14.

“This morning, Pope Francis concelebrated holy Mass in the chapel of the 10th-floor apartment at the Gemelli Polyclinic,” according to a statement from the Vatican Press Office.

In the photo, the Holy Father can be seen seated before the altar of the chapel where he concelebrated the Eucharist. The Vatican also reported that “the pope’s condition remains stable” and after concelebrating Sunday Mass, “he is continuing with the prescribed therapies,” including respiratory and physical therapy.

Pope Francis did not receive any visitors Sunday, instead dedicating the day to “prayer, rest, and some work.”

The Vatican says Pope Francis’ condition remains “stable” and that the Holy Father’s therapies continue to show “further, gradual improvement.”

Francis still needs “hospital medical therapy, motor and respiratory physiotherapy,” the Vatican’s Saturday evening update says, though the pope’s high-flow oxygen therapy is “progressively reducing the need for noninvasive mechanical ventilation at night.”

The pope’s ongoing stable condition “confirm[s] the progress highlighted in the last week,” the Vatican says.

A Vatican source says the pope remains in “a clinical situation of stability, in a framework that remains complex.” The Holy Father spent Saturday doing prayer, therapy, rest, and some work.

Pope Francis’ health condition remains “stable yet complex” as his hospitalization at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital continues.

This evening, prayers for the pope’s recovery will continue as the Governorate of Vatican City State leads the nightly rosary. Monsignor Emilio Nappa, secretary-general, will guide the prayer service.

The 88-year-old pontiff continues to receive oxygen therapy and respiratory physiotherapy.

The Holy See Press Office announced yesterday it will now provide medical updates only when there is significant new information to share.

From his hospital room, the pontiff has approved another synodal process, according to Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops.

In a letter to Church leaders, Grech announces a special postsynodal ecclesial assembly scheduled for October 2028.

“The goal is not to add work upon work but to help Churches walk in a synodal style,” Grech writes.

The Holy See Press Office says on Friday that updates about Pope Francis’ health will be less frequent as his situation remains stable amid a slow recovery.

Medical bulletins written by the pope’s doctors nearly daily since the 88-year-old Francis’ admission to Gemelli Hospital 29 days ago will now be issued only when doctors feel there is new information to share, the press office says. The Holy See Press Office will now hold just an evening briefing for journalists, eliminating the morning briefing and morning message about how the pope’s night went.

After four weeks in the hospital for bronchitis and double pneumonia, doctors have said Pope Francis’ health condition remains complex while showing minor improvements.

The Italian postal service said this week it had seen a surge in the volume of letters for Pope Francis since the start of his hospitalization.

One sorting center is receiving up to 330 pounds more mail per day for the Vatican, and another Rome sorting center noted that “hundreds of letters” are arriving every week from around the world addressed to Pope Francis at Gemelli Hospital.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed Francis’ health during a phone call March 14.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote that in their phone call, “I wished Pope Francis a speedy recovery and thanked him for his prayers and moral support for our people, as well as for his efforts in facilitating the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported and displaced by Russia.”

Marking a whole month in the hospital on Friday, Pope Francis is undergoing another morning of therapy for pneumonia, including oxygen treatment and respiratory physiotherapy, as his condition remains “stationary,” according to the Vatican.

A new medical bulletin will be issued this evening.

The recovering pontiff followed the conclusion of the spiritual exercises for Lent led by Capuchin Father Roberto Pasolini in the Paul VI Audience Hall via video link.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrated a morning Mass for the pope with the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.

In his homily reflecting on today’s Gospel reading, the Vatican secretary of state emphasizes the need to “disarm language” and move from confrontation to benevolence in a time of war.

“We gather in prayer this morning for the health of the Holy Father, that he may recover and return to us soon. We also wish to remember the 12th anniversary of his election to the pontificate, celebrated yesterday,” Parolin says during the Mass in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace.

The cardinal’s Lenten-themed homily includes several references to global current events, noting that “on our own we cannot manage, we need help, but it is also true that the Lord provides us with the means to realize his word.”

The rosary prayer service for the pope this evening will be led by Monsignor Lucio Adrian Ruiz, secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.

On Thursday, Pope Francis marks the 12th anniversary of his papacy from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for pneumonia for nearly a month. 

Hospital staff commemorate the occasion by presenting the 88-year-old pontiff with a cake adorned with candles. Additionally, he receives hundreds of drawings, messages, and letters from children and well-wishers worldwide. 

The Vatican tells journalists that Pope Francis continued his medication regimen, motor physiotherapy, and high-flow oxygen therapy on Thursday morning. He participated in spiritual exercises and prayed in the hospital chapel. 

In the afternoon, he joined the Roman Curia’s spiritual exercises via video link to the Paul VI Hall and continued respiratory therapy. His clinical condition remains stable yet complex, according to the Vatican, with ongoing noninvasive mechanical ventilation at night and high-flow oxygenation during the day. 

Pope Francis spent a peaceful night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he now has received treatment for pneumonia for nearly a month, the Holy See Press Office announces Thursday morning.

“The night passed restfully,” the Vatican states in a brief morning update without providing additional details about the pope’s condition.

On Wednesday evening, officials described his situation as “stable” within a “complex overall picture.”

Today marks the pontiff’s 26th night in the medical facility, where he continues participating in the Roman Curia’s Lenten retreat exercises via video connection from his hospital room.

The hospitalization coincides with a significant milestone in Francis’ papacy — the Argentine pontiff was elected on March 13, 2013, meaning he is spending the 12th anniversary of his election to the chair of Peter in medical care.

According to the Vatican, Archbishop Filippo Iannone, O Carm, prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, will lead the rosary prayer for the pontiff this evening. The nightly rosary has become a regular spiritual practice during the pope’s extended stay at the Gemelli Clinic.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, will celebrate a special Mass for the Holy Father on Friday, March 14, at 10:30 a.m. in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace. The diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See will be present at the liturgy, which will be broadcast live via Vatican Media.

A new chest X-ray confirms there has been a slight improvement to Pope Francis’ lungs though his overall condition remains “complex” and “stationary,” a medical bulletin distributed by the Holy See Press Office says on Wednesday.

The latest medical update about the 88-year-old pope does not give a long-term prognosis. Francis continues to receive oxygen support day and night.

Also on Wednesday, the Holy See Press Office denies a statement by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I claiming that Pope Francis was confirmed to be planning a visit to Turkey in May for the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

The press office said the Holy See has never mentioned a papal trip to Turkey, and while the visit is under consideration, it has never been officially announced.

The pontiff continues to spend his time doing physical and respiratory therapy, praying, and following via video the talks of the papal preacher Father Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap, for the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia. Pope Francis is not doing any work during the weeklong retreat, as is his custom, a Vatican source says.

There are no particular plans for celebrating the 12th anniversary of Pope Francis’ pontificate on March 13.

As Pope Francis perseveres through his hospital stay, the universal Church prepares to commemorate tomorrow’s 12th anniversary of his election to the papacy.

A medical bulletin is expected this evening following the recitation of the rosary, Vatican officials confirm on Wednesday morning.

The pope continues his prescribed therapies at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, including respiratory and active movement therapy.

According to midday updates from the Vatican Press Office, the Holy Father follows the curial spiritual exercises via video from his hospital room. On Monday, his medical team at Gemelli Hospital indicated that Francis is no longer in immediate danger, with signs of slight improvement, though his clinical situation remains complex.

“Not much else is known while awaiting the doctors’ assessment,” a Vatican source notes. Meanwhile, the faithful gather to pray in the plaza before the St. John Paul II statue at Gemelli, with Masses celebrated in the chapel at the main entrance.

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, will lead the rosary this evening at 6 p.m.

The 12th anniversary of Pope Francis’ pontificate falls tomorrow, March 13, though no official Vatican celebrations are planned. However, many Catholic institutions are organizing Eucharistic celebrations to mark the occasion.

The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross is among those commemorating the anniversary, reports ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner.

On Thursday, Rector Fernando Puig will preside at a Mass at 12:45 p.m. in the Basilica of St. Apollinare to celebrate the milestone.

Puig reflects on the pope’s leadership: “In these years, Pope Francis’ magisterium has constantly called us to the centrality of proclaiming the Gospel, to witnessing mercy, and to an increasingly concrete commitment to the culture of encounter and hope. As the academic community of the Holy Cross, we renew our commitment to form priests, religious, and laity capable of carrying forward this mission with competence and a spirit of service.”

The pontiff has been hospitalized at the Gemelli Clinic since Feb. 14, with his most recent respiratory crisis occurring over a week ago. Since then, his condition has stabilized and recently shown improvement.

Pope Francis’ health has shown slight improvements, though his overall condition remains complex, the Holy See Press Office says Tuesday evening.

The 88-year-old pope received high-flow oxygen therapy on Tuesday afternoon as part of his ongoing treatment and remains on his prescribed medication.

Vatican sources confirmed that now that the pope’s condition has stabilized, his doctors have “lifted the prognosis,” indicating that Pope Francis is “no longer in immediate danger from the respiratory infection.”

The Vatican is currently not providing an estimate for when the pope may be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he has been hospitalized for nearly a month. A CT scan may be performed in the coming days to assess his pneumonia.

Pope Francis spent much of Tuesday afternoon in prayer, receiving the Eucharist and following the spiritual exercises for the annual Lenten retreat for the Roman Curia via livestream.

Due to the Roman Curia’s spiritual exercises, there is no general audience on the calendar for this week and therefore no catechesis will be released on Wednesday.

Pope Francis has rested well and continued his prescribed therapies this morning at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, according to the Vatican.

The Holy Father also participated in spiritual exercises via videoconference following the Lenten retreat led by Father Roberto Pasolini in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that the pontiff prayed in the small chapel near his room on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital, where he has now been admitted for 26 days.

Due to the pope’s stable condition, no medical bulletin will be released this evening, though the Holy See Press Office will provide general updates to journalists as usual.

According to Vatican sources, the pope’s mood remains positive as he converses with staff caring for him. Medical teams noted yesterday that recent improvements have been “further strengthened,” as confirmed by blood work and the patient’s overall clinical condition.

Doctors have indicated Francis responds well to treatment but will need to remain hospitalized for “several more days.”

Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, will lead tonight’s rosary for the pope at 6 p.m. Rome time.

Pope Francis’ clinical condition “continues to be stable,” the Vatican reports on Monday evening.

“The improvements recorded in the previous days have been further consolidated, as confirmed by both blood tests and clinical objectivity and the good response to drug therapy,” the Holy See Press Office statement says.

As the pope continues to respond well to treatment, the Gemelli Hospital decides to “dissolve the prognosis” but confirms that the 88-year-old pontiff has to remain at Gemelli for treatment.

“However, in view of the complexity of the clinical picture and the important infectious picture presented on admission, it will be necessary to continue, for additional days, medical drug therapy in a hospital setting,” the statement says.

In the morning, the Holy Father participated in the first day of the Roman Curia’s spiritual exercises held in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall via a video link.

He also “received the Eucharist and went to the chapel of the private apartment for a moment of prayer” before joining spiritual exercises again in the afternoon.

“During the day he alternated between prayer and rest,” the Vatican update concludes.

Pope Francis spent a peaceful night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he continues his recovery while participating remotely in the Lenten spiritual exercises, according to a Monday update from the Holy See Press Office.

The pontiff has resumed respiratory and physical therapy after transitioning from noninvasive mechanical ventilation during the night to high-flow oxygen through nasal cannulas.

The statement notes that Francis followed the Curia’s spiritual exercises via video from his hospital chair this morning, joining participants spiritually in the event in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

The 88-year-old pope has been informed about flooding in Argentina and “expresses his closeness to those affected,” the press office states.

While his medical condition remains “stable within a complex framework,” doctors maintain a reserved prognosis. A medical bulletin, which wasn’t published Sunday due to the stable clinical picture, is expected to be released Monday evening.

The rosary for the pope’s health will be prayed at approximately 6 p.m. local time in the Paul VI Hall. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, will lead the prayer.

Today marks the 25th day of hospitalization for Pope Francis, who was admitted to the Gemelli Polyclinic on Feb. 14.

Pope Francis has spent another tranquil night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican Press Office announces Sunday morning.

Saturday evening’s medical bulletin indicated cautious signs of improvement three weeks after the pontiff’s admission: “The Holy Father’s clinical condition has remained stable in recent days, showing a good response to treatment.”

The 88-year-old pope plans to join the Roman Curia spiritually for their Lenten retreat beginning on the First Sunday of Lent. The Vatican will release the text of the pope’s Angelus message in writing later today.

The rosary for Pope Francis tonight at St. Peter’s Square will be presided over by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education.

The Vatican says Pope Francis’ condition on Saturday evening remains “stable” with the Holy Father showing a “gradual, slight improvement” in his condition.

The pope’s stability on Saturday “testifies to a good response to therapy,” the Holy See Press Office says.

The Holy Father has “always remained [without a fever],” the Vatican notes, adding: “Gas exchanges have improved; blood chemistry and haemocrocitometric tests are confirmed to be stable.”

“The doctors, in order to record these initial improvements in the coming days, prudentially still keep the prognosis reserved,” the press office says.

On Saturday morning, meanwhile, Francis received the Eucharist, prayed in the chapel of the papal hospital apartment, and later “alternated rest with work activities,” the Vatican says.

Pope Francis is resting comfortably at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital this morning as he continues treatment for bilateral pneumonia. The Holy See Press Office reports that the 88-year-old pontiff had a quiet night.

“The night passed quietly; the pope is resting,” reads this morning’s brief statement.

The pope’s clinical condition remains stable as he receives ongoing care. Medical staff continue to describe his prognosis as “guarded.”

Vatican officials report that Francis is dividing his time between prayer, rest, and work while continuing his respiratory physiotherapy treatments.

Medical teams provide the pope with high-flow oxygen through nasal cannulas during the day. At night, he switches to noninvasive mechanical ventilation to support his breathing.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, will lead a holy rosary for Pope Francis later today. The prayer service will gather the faithful to offer prayers for the pope’s swift recovery.

A more detailed medical update on the pope’s condition is expected this evening.

Vatican sources said Pope Francis’ condition remained stable Friday, as doctors indicated the next medical bulletin would be delivered Saturday.

After a heartfelt audio message from the pope was played in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday evening, Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni explained it was Francis’ desire to record and play the greeting to thank everyone who is praying for him. He said the pope feels like he is being carried by the many prayers.

Pope Francis spent a quiet night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and woke up shortly after 8 a.m., the Holy See Press Office says in a brief update on Friday, marking three weeks since the Holy Father was hospitalized.

Tonight’s evening rosary for the pope will be led by Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, at 9 p.m. Rome time in St. Peter’s Square.

In a prerecorded message, Pope Francis thanked those gathered for the rosary prayer service in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday night.

“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square; I accompany you from here,” the Holy Father said in Spanish. “May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.” 

The Holy Father’s voice was hoarse, and he was noticeably out of breath in the brief audio message, which the Holy See Press Office said was recorded today. 

The Vatican confirms on Thursday evening that Pope Francis’ health remains stable, with no significant changes compared with previous days. 

The Holy Father has not experienced any further episodes of respiratory insufficiency and continues to undergo respiratory and motor physiotherapy. His blood flow parameters and blood test results remain stable, and he has not had a fever. However, doctors are still keeping the prognosis reserved.

Given the pope’s stable condition, the Vatican announces that the next official medical update will be released on Saturday. In the meantime, Pope Francis has maintained a balanced routine, engaging in some work activities throughout the morning and afternoon while also taking time for rest and prayer. Before lunch, the Holy Father received the Eucharist.

Friday marks three weeks since Pope Francis was first admitted to Gemelli Hospital. The Vatican has not provided an indication of when he could be released from the hospital.

Pope Francis has spent another restful night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he continues treatment for bilateral pneumonia, the Holy See Press Office announces Thursday morning.

“The night passed quietly; the pope is still resting,” the Holy See Press Office tells journalists.

The pope is receiving a number of treatments, sources say, including active motor physiotherapy and high-flow oxygen therapy.

The daily rosary for Pope Francis’ health will again be prayed tonight at 9 p.m. in St. Peter’s Square. Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, will preside over the prayer service.

Pope Francis participated in the rite of the blessing of ashes for Ash Wednesday from his hospital room on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican says Wednesday evening local time.

On his 20th day in the hospital, Pope Francis also received the Eucharist, did respiratory and physical therapy, called the Catholic parish in Gaza, worked, and rested, according to the Holy See Press Office.

His condition remained stable.

Pope Francis has a restful night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he receives treatment for bilateral pneumonia, according to a Wednesday morning update from the Holy See Press Office.

“The pope rested well overnight and woke up shortly after 8 a.m. this morning,” the Vatican states.

The pontiff’s persistent pneumonia poses challenges as he continues respiratory therapy and high-flow oxygen treatment. Vatican officials report that while the pope’s situation appears stable, his overall clinical condition “remains complex.”

As previously announced, the Holy Father resumes noninvasive mechanical ventilation overnight as planned. Despite the continuing treatment, doctors note that the pope’s vital signs, including heart, kidney, and blood values, remain stable.

Due to Pope Francis’ hospitalization, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the major penitentiary, will preside over the Ash Wednesday liturgy at Rome’s Basilica of Santa Sabina. The traditional “stational” service at Sant’Anselmo on the Aventine Hill, followed by the penitential procession, will begin at 4:30 p.m.

The holy rosary prayer for the pope’s health will be led by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, at 9 p.m. in St. Peter’s Square.

Vatican medical bulletins provide daily updates on the pope’s condition since his admission to Gemelli Hospital. Tuesday evening’s update noted that the pope remained “alert, cooperative with therapies, and oriented” throughout the day, alternating between periods of prayer and rest.

Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, leads the rosary in St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday evening at 9 p.m.

Pope Francis’ health remains stable as he continues treatment for respiratory issues, the Vatican says in a statement on Tuesday evening.

The 88-year-old pope did not experience any further episodes of respiratory insufficiency or bronchospasm today and remained alert and cooperative with his medical care.

Doctors transitioned the pope to high-flow oxygen therapy, a treatment designed to support his breathing, and he has also undergone respiratory physiotherapy to aid his recovery.

As part of his ongoing care, “noninvasive mechanical ventilation” is scheduled to resume overnight and continue until Wednesday morning.

While his prognosis remains rese