Pope Francis is resting but remains in a “critical” condition due to respiratory and kidney complications, the Vatican announced on Monday.
According to a morning statement, “The night went well, the Pope slept and is resting,” following an earlier Sunday update that noted he is still receiving high-flow oxygen therapy and has undergone blood transfusions.
Medical tests have revealed “initial, mild renal insufficiency,” a kidney condition that is currently under control, the Vatican added.
The Pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 after experiencing breathing difficulties for several days. He was initially treated for bronchitis before being diagnosed with pneumonia affecting both lungs.
On Sunday, the Vatican also reported that Pope Francis’s thrombocytopenia, a condition characterized by a low platelet count, remained stable.
That morning, the Pope “participated in the Holy Mass, together with those who are taking care of him during these days”, the statement continued.
The Vatican did not offer a prognosis, given the “complexity of the clinical picture”.
On Saturday, the Vatican reported that Pope Francis had experienced a respiratory crisis and was in “critical” condition. However, by Sunday, an update clarified that the pontiff had “not presented any further respiratory crises.”
Earlier that day, Pope Francis issued a statement requesting prayers from Catholics after being unable to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer in person for the second consecutive week.
The Pope’s susceptibility to pneumonia—a lung infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi—is linked to his history of pleurisy, a lung inflammation he suffered as a young man, which led to the partial removal of one lung.
During his 12-year papacy, the 86-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church has faced several hospitalizations, including treatment for bronchitis at the same Rome hospital in March 2023.
As the first Latin American and Jesuit to lead the Church, Pope Francis continues to draw global attention and prayers during his health struggles.