Pope FrancisIn a critical condition with a complex lung infection, he rested well during a quiet night, the Vatican said on Sunday, but all this is still touching the statement of his age, fragility and already existing lung disease.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni in a one -off statement early on Sunday did not mention whether Francis was out of bed or ate breakfast. “The night was quiet, the pope was resting.”
A short update followed a few hours after the doctors said that the 88-year-old PontiF, who had been removed as a young man, was in a critical state after suffering a long-term asthmatic respiratory crisis.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images
Francis was hospitalized for a week while treating pneumonia and complex lung infections. He was admitted to the Gemelli Roman hospital on February 14th after a The week was getting worse with bronchitis.
The Pope has received “high flow” oxygen on Saturday to help him breathe, as well as blood transfusions after tests have shown low platelets that are needed to clot, Vatican said in a late update.
Saturday’s statement also stated that PontiF was still awake and spent a day in an armchair, although in more pain than yesterday. ” Doctors said the forecast was “reserved”.
“We feel Pope Francis near us”
Francis was supposed to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning at St. Peter’s Basilica and ordained hundreds of deacons as part of a year -round commemoration of the Vatican.
The organizer of the Holy Year, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis of the altar before delivering the homily prepared by the Pope.
Alessandra Tarantino / AP
“Although he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis is to us, we feel he is present among us,” Fisichella said to the hundreds of white deacons. “And it forces us to make even stronger and more intensive prayer that the Lord will help him at the time of trial and illness.
The jubilee of the deacon, the day of the Holy Year dedicated to the deacons, will attract over 6000 pilgrims from about 100 countries to Rome.
Vatican hierarchy indicates speculation about resignation
In the meantime, the Vatican hierarchy started defense to cover up rumors and speculation that Francis could decide to resign. There is no provision in the canonical law what to do if the Pope becomes incapable. Francis said he wrote a letter about the resignation that would be called if medically incapable of making such a decision.
In an interview with CBS News in May 2024Francis said the idea of deviating never occurred to him.
“Maybe if a day comes when my health can’t go on,” Francis said. “Maybe because it’s the only powerlessness I have in my knee, and it gets a lot better for me. But that never happened to me.”
Francis, took over the papacy 2013 at the age of 76, after his predecessor, Benedict XVI, became the first Pope to withdraw in about 600 yearsquoting his Health decline before he stepped up. He died in 2022 at the age of 95.
Alessandra Tarantino / AP
The Vatican State Secretary, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, gave a rare interview with Corriere della Sera to respond to speculations and rumors of possible resignation. It came after the Vatican issued an unusual and official denial of an Italian media report, saying that Parolin and Pope’s chief canonist visited Francisco at the hospital secret. Considering the canonical requirements for the placement of a legitimate resignation, the implication of such a meeting was significant, but the Vatican apartment denied that any such meeting had happened.
Parolin said such speculation looked “useless” when what was really important was Francis’s health, his recovery and return to the Vatican.
“On the other hand, I think it is quite normal for these situations of uncontrolled rumors to expand or make a wrong comment being pronounced. This is certainly not the first time that happened,” Parolin was quoted. “However, I don’t think there is a certain movement, and so far I haven’t heard anything like that.”
