The Pope is improving "slightly" and his kidney failure is "not a cause for concern"
The Vatican says the pontiff's health remains "critical" but he has resumed his work activity
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 Gaza parish, 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 in hospital
Pope Francis has been in Rome's Gemelli hospital for 11 days. The first medical report released confirmed that the pontiff was suffering from bronchitis and had shown symptoms days before his hospitalization. On Monday, the prognosis was changed to bilateral pneumonia. On Saturday, the pope had a respiratory crisis and was in a "critical" condition, although the following day, the Vatican updated his health status saying that he "no longer had any serious respiratory problems." On Sunday, the pontiff asked his followers to pray for him after being unable to deliver the Angelus prayer in person for two consecutive weeks.
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church has been hospitalized several times during his 12 years as pontiff, including treatment for bronchitis in March 2023. The pontiff is especially susceptible to pneumonia, after contracting pleurisy — an inflammation of the lungs — as a young man.
