The Pope is improving "slightly" and his kidney failure is "not a cause for concern"

BarcelonaPope Francis has experienced a "slight improvement" in your state of health, the Vatican reported on Monday afternoon, adding that the kidney failure detected in him "is not worrying." The statement indicates that his condition remains "critical," but that during the day there have been no asthmatic respiratory crises. It also notes that some laboratory tests "have improved."

According to the latest Vatican medical report, the Pope continues with oxygen therapy, but with flows at a "slightly reduced" percentage compared to previous days. The clinical picture of the pontiff remains complex, the doctors, prudently, do not decide on his prognosis. This morning he received the Eucharist at the Gemelli hospital in Rome and in the afternoon he "resumed his work activity." In the evening Pope Francis called the priest of the parish of Gaza, as he has done practically every day since the war in the Palestinian enclave began. He also thanked the priest for prayers for his health.

The Vatican has called for a rosary to be held in Piazza Sant Pere, led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to pray for the health of Pope Francis. It will take place at 9 p.m. on Monday and will be repeated every evening. The intention is to "show the closeness of the Church to the Pope and the sick," as stressed by the director of the Holy See's press office, Matteo Bruni.

In addition, on Monday evening the Patriarch of Venice, Francesco Moraglia, presided over the recitation of the Holy Rosary in St. Mark's Basilica and "invited all those who can attend in person to pray for the Pope's health."

Eleven days hospitalized

Pope Francis has been in Rome's Gemelli hospital for eleven days. The first medical report that was published confirmed that the pontiff was suffering from bronchitis and that he had presented symptoms days before his hospitalization. Last Monday the prognosis was changed to bilateral pneumonia. On Saturday the Pope suffered a respiratory crisis and was in a "critical" condition, although the following day the Vatican updated his health status saying that he "no longer presented any serious respiratory affectation." This Sunday the pontiff asked his followers to pray for him after not being able to give the Angelus prayer in person for two consecutive weeks.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church has been hospitalized several times during his twelve years as pontiff, including a treatment for bronchitis during March 2023. The pontiff is especially susceptible to pneumonia, after a young man contracted pleurisy.