Pope Francis began a second week in hospital on Saturday, alert but still “not out of danger”, as top cardinals sought to dampen speculation about his future.
The Vatican press office confirmed the Argentine pontiff would not deliver his usual weekly Angelus prayer on Sunday, saying the text would be published, as it was last weekend.
Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 with bronchitis, but it turned into pneumonia in both lungs, causing widespread alarm.
His doctors told a press conference on Friday there was no imminent risk to his life but he was “not out of danger”.
In an early morning update on Saturday, the Vatican said simply: “Pope Francis rested well.”
Francis has been head of the Catholic Church since 2013, but has suffered numerous health issues in recent years, and underwent major surgery in 2021 and 2023.
This latest hospitalisation has cast doubt over Francis’s ability to continue as leader of world’s almost 1.4 billion Catholics, fuelling speculation over his potential resignation – and who might take over.
He will remain in hospital “at least for all next week”, Professor Sergio Alfieri, who leads the pope’s medical team at the Gemalli, said Friday.
He said the pontiff’s condition has been slightly improving, allowing doctors to incrementally lower the amount of medication he is taking.
The pope was “in good spirits”, very lucid and making jokes despite difficulty breathing, he added.
