POPE FRANCIS HAD a “peaceful night” in hospital and woke up shortly after 8am, according to the Vatican.
The Argentine pontiff, head of the worldwide Catholic Church since 2013, has been in Rome’s Gemelli hospital since 14 February.
He was admitted with bronchitis, which then developed into pneumonia in both lungs.
The Vatican has been releasing two daily updates on Francis’s health, a rather perfunctory one in the morning followed by a more in-depth one in the evening.
However, owing to “the stability of the clinical picture”, the Vatican said that the next medical bulletin will be issued on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Francis’s voice was heard publicly for the first time in close to three weeks last night before a rosary for the pontiff’s health in St Peter’s Square.
The rosary prayer for Francis’s health has taken place every night at 9pm Rome time since 24 February.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square, I accompany you from here,” said Francis in the pre-recorded audio message.
“May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”
The message was delivered in a gravelly voice.
Yesterday evening’s update from the Vatican noted that Francis’s “clinical conditions have remained stable with respect to the previous days”.
On Monday, Francis had “two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency” but the Vatican yesterday evening said that he has not had “any episodes of respiratory insufficiency” since.
In yesterday’s update, the Vatican noted that Francis has continued respiratory and motor physiotherapy, with “some benefits”, and blood tests have remained stable.
He has no fever, but “doctors continue to maintain a guarded prognosis”.
The Vatican also said yesterday that Francis “devoted himself to some work activities during the morning, and in the afternoon he alternated between rest and prayer”.
“Before lunch he received the Eucharist,” the statement added.
Francis has continued to work from the hospital and on Wednesday morning, he called Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family in Gaza, the only Catholic parish in Gaza.
Last week, the Gaza parish thanked Francis for his support.
Since October 9, 2023, two days after the bombings began in Gaza, Francis has been in daily contact with the Holy Family Church, bar a few days recently due to his hospitalisation.
Francis missed the formal Ash Wednesday celebrations in Rome marking the start of Lent but took part in a blessing in his private suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli.
Francis has published several texts from hospital and last night was the first time his voice had been heard publicly in close to three weeks.
During previous hospitalisations, Francis appeared on the Gemelli balcony for his weekly Angelus prayer at noon on Sundays.
But he has missed the last three, and no announcement has yet been made about whether he will make an appearance this weekend.
The Vatican confirmed yesterday that senior cardinal Michael Czerny would stand in for the pope and lead the mass this weekend marking the first Sunday of Lent.
The mass was also part of celebrations for the Jubilee 2025, a Holy Year led by the pope, dedicated this weekend to volunteers.
The Holy See said Thursday the event “takes on an even deeper meaning, as the thoughts and prayers of all the brothers and sisters turn to the Holy Father and the experience he is going through”.
Pilgrims will pray in front of the hospital tomorrow, it said, as well-wishers have since Francis was admitted.