Pope has ‘peaceful’ night after condition described as ‘critical’.
The Vatican said Pope Francis had rested and the night had “passed peacefully” after revealing on Saturday that his condition continues to be “critical” as he suffers from a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis”.
The pontiff was described as “more unwell” than on Friday and he has received blood transfusions.
The 88-year-old is being treated for pneumonia in both lungs at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
The blood transfusions were deemed necessary due to a low platelet count, associated with anaemia, the Vatican said.
It said the Roman Catholic leader was alert and in his armchair, but required a “high flow” of oxygen and his prognosis “remains guarded”.
“The Holy Father’s condition remains critical,” it said in a statement. “The Pope is not out of danger.”
It added: “The Holy Father continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair even if he was suffering more than yesterday.”
The Pope has asked for openness about his health, so the Vatican has begun releasing daily statements. The tone and length of the announcements has varied, sometimes leaving Pope-watchers to attempt to read between the lines.
But this is by far the starkest assessment yet and it is unusually detailed. It declines to give any prognosis.
It comes just a day after doctors treating the Pope said for the first time that he was responding to medication, although they were clear that his condition was complex. They said on Friday that the slightest change of circumstance would upset what was called a “delicate balance”.
“He is the Pope,” as one of them put it. “But he is also a man.”
The Pope was first admitted to hospital on 14 February after experiencing difficulties breathing for several days.
He is especially prone to lung infections due to developing pleurisy – an inflammation around the lungs – as an adult and having part of one of his lungs removed at age 21.
During his 12 years as leader of the Roman Catholic church, the Argentine has been hospitalised several times, including in March 2023 when he spent three nights in hospital with bronchitis.
The latest news will worry Catholics worldwide, who are following news of the Pope’s condition closely.
It is a busy Jubilee year for the Catholic Church with huge numbers of visitors expected in Rome and a major schedule of events for the Pope.
He is not known for enjoying being inactive. Even in hospital, his doctors say he went to pray in the chapel this week and had been reading in his chair.
But even before the latest setback, the Vatican had said he would not appear in public to lead prayer with pilgrims on Sunday, meaning he will miss the event for the second week in a row.
Well-wishers have been leaving candles, flowers and letters for the Pope outside Rome’s Gemelli hospital all week. There was no change outside St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday evening, however, with no crowd gathering.
But people passing through the square said they were following the news.
“We feel very close to the Pope, here in Rome,” one Italian man told the BBC. “We saw the latest, and we are worried.”
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt from Orlando Health Medical Group Urology, who specializes in kidney surgery, told CNN one should not be alarmed by the Vatican’s latest update on the Pope’s kidney health.
“I don’t think it’s anything significant per se, but we can tell his condition is still quite critical,” Brahmbhatt said. “The kidneys itself are very delicate organs but they’re also very resilient.”
He said that in older adults, “infections can quickly worsen if the body’s immune response kicks into overdrive—something we call sepsis.” When pneumonia leads to sepsis, widespread inflammation can hurt multiple organs, including the kidneys, Brahmbhatt added.
He said that in older adults, “infections can quickly worsen if the body’s immune response kicks into overdrive—something we call sepsis.” When pneumonia leads to sepsis, widespread inflammation can hurt multiple organs, including the kidneys, Brahmbhatt added.
“In Pope Francis’ case, that’s showing up as mild renal failure. Kidney damage can be temporary and improve with treatment, or it can be permanent,” he said.
The Pope’s doctors have advised “complete rest.” Even so, he has continued to do some work, including on the first two days of hospitalization, holding his daily phone call to Rev. Gabriel Romanelli and his assistant, Father Yusuf Asad, in Gaza City, northern Gaza. They have been in frequent contact since Israel launched its bombing campaign and siege on the enclave, following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks.
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