Pope Francis, 88, is resting this Monday morning, marking his tenth day at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. He’s being treated for a complex lung infection that has led to early stages of kidney issues, according to the Vatican.
“The night went smoothly; the Pope slept well and is resting now,” the Vatican stated.
It remains unknown if he is awake and has had breakfast.
Francis was hospitalized on February 14 after a week of worsening bronchitis. Doctors initially identified a complex viral, bacterial, and fungal respiratory infection, which then developed into pneumonia in both lungs.
On Sunday, doctors reported that blood tests showed “early, slight kidney insufficiency,” but it remains under control. They also said Francis remained in stable condition and had not experienced further respiratory distress since Saturday evening.
Francis, who previously had part of a lung removed, is receiving high-flow supplemental oxygen and received two blood transfusions on Sunday to raise his hemoglobin levels. Doctors have described his prognosis as guarded.
The Pope was alert and responsive on Sunday and participated in Mass.
Doctors have described Francis’s condition as precarious, considering his age, frailty, and pre-existing lung condition. They warn that the primary threat to Francis is sepsis, a serious blood infection that can occur as a complication of pneumonia.
As of Monday morning, there has been no indication of sepsis.
This Monday marks Francis’s tenth day in the hospital, equaling his longest hospital stay during his papacy. He also spent ten days at Gemelli Hospital in 2021 after undergoing a 13-inch colon resection.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan stated on Sunday in New York that Catholics are united “at the bedside of a dying father,” acknowledging Francis’s limited time left, a sentiment not publicly expressed by church leaders in Rome.
“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Dolan later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”