Pope Francis remains in hospital, Vatican reports ‘slight improvement’ in condition

Pope Francis remains in a Rome hospital in critical condition but there has been some improvement the Vatican says.

The 88-year-old Francis has pneumonia in both lungs and was admitted to Gemelli University Hospital on Feb. 14 after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened.

Since the news of the head of the Catholic church’s illness, hundreds of people have been gathering in St. Peter’s Square outside of the Vatican to pray for the Pope.

A Vatican statement on Monday said: “The clinical conditions of the Holy Father, although critical, show a slight improvement. Even today there were no episodes of asthmatic respiratory crises; some laboratory tests have improved.”

The Vatican added that Francis’ mild kidney issues that were reported on the weekend do “not cause concern” and that his oxygen therapy continues, though at a reduced rate.

Early on Monday Francis was “awake” and “in good humor,” the Vatican said. He was well enough to meet with the Vatican’s secretary of state to make some governing decisions.

Pope Francis did not deliver the Angelus prayer Sunday, making it only the third time in his papacy that he has missed the weekly event.

Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936 and was elected pope on March 13, 2013, after the surprise resignation of Benedict XVI.

He is said to be prone to lung infections due to developing pleurisy as a young adult, after which he had part of one lung removed.

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-With files from AP and The Canadian Press.