Il Nuovo Postiglione - Pope's condition stable but complex

The head of the Catholic Church was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 with bronchitis, which later developed into pneumonia in both lungs.

After appearing to recover slightly during the week, the Argentine pope suffered a breathing crisis on Friday, causing widespread concern, but he passed a quieter weekend.

"The clinical conditions of the Holy Father remained stable today," the Vatican said on Sunday in its regular early evening medical update.

The leader of the world's almost 1.4 billion Catholics "did not require non-invasive mechanical ventilation, only high-flow oxygen therapy", it said.

He does not have a fever, and on Sunday morning he participated in mass, spending the rest of the day alternating rest with prayer, it added.

A Vatican source said that with 48 hours now passed, it appeared there had been "no further consequences" from Friday's crisis.

However, the Holy See statement added that "in view of the complexity of the clinical picture, the prognosis remains reserved".

- 'Supported by God's people' -

Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, missed his traditional Angelus prayer for a third straight Sunday, the Vatican issuing a written text instead.

"I would like to thank you for the prayers, which rise up to the Lord from the hearts of so many faithful from many parts of the world," he wrote.

"I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am 'carried' and supported by all God's people. Thank you all."

The pope concluded by calling, as he often does during his Angelus prayer, for peace around the world.

"From here, war appears even more absurd. Let us pray for tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and Kivu," Francis wrote.

At St Peter's Square, where pilgrims normally gather to hear the pope at noon on a Sunday, some in the crowd expressed concern at his absence.

"The first thought when you enter the square is to look where he usually looked out of the window," Lorena Compare, a 49-year-old accountant, told AFP.

"Let's hope."

- Health issues -

The Jesuit, who has been pope since 2013, has suffered numerous health issues in recent years, from colon surgery in 2021 to a hernia operation in 2023 and pain that causes him to use a wheelchair.

But at 17 days, this is the longest and most serious hospitalisation of his papacy, sparking widespread concern about his health and his future leading the Church.

Last weekend, the Vatican reported the pope was in a "critical" condition after he suffered a major respiratory attack and required blood transfusions.

There followed a series of incremental improvements, but on Friday Francis "presented an isolated crisis of bronchospasm which led to an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of the respiratory picture", the Vatican said.

On Saturday, it said there had been no repeat of this crisis and he was in a "stable" condition.

The pope's haemodynamic parameters -- those relating to the flow of blood -- were also stable, and he did not have the high white-blood-cell count that often indicates an infection, the Vatican said.

- Worried world -

Catholics and other well-wishers around the world have been praying for the liberal reformer, the first pontiff from the Americas.

Pilgrims have flocked to the Gemelli hospital, many leaving handwritten messages including posters illustrated by children, and balloons bearing his image.

Francis has continued to work from the special papal suite on the hospital's 10th floor, amid speculation about his ability to continue to lead the Church.

Francis has always left open the option of resigning if his health declined, following the example set by his predecessor, German theologian Benedict XVI, who quit in 2013.

Before his hospitalisation, Francis had repeatedly said it was not yet the time -- and might never be.

Yet medical experts have warned that Francis's age and health means a sustained recovery will take time.

F.S.Ferrari--INP