Rome: Pope Francis remained in critical condition on Monday (Rome-time) but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work activities, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began, the Vatican said.
The Vatican’s evening bulletin was more upbeat than in recent days, as the 88-year-old battles pneumonia in both lungs. Francis hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday, the Vatican said, and the supplemental oxygen he was using continued but with a slightly reduced oxygen flow and concentrations.
Pope Francis presiding over a mass in 2023. He is now battling pneumonia in both lungs.Credit: AP
The slight kidney insufficiency detected on Sunday was not causing current alarm, doctors said, while saying his prognosis remained guarded.
Francis received the Eucharist in the morning and resumed working in the afternoon.
“In the evening he called the parish priest of the Gaza parish to express his fatherly closeness,” the statement said.
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For over a year, Francis has checked in daily via video call with the Argentine priest, the Reverend Gabriel Romanelli, who leads the Catholic community at the church, which during Israel’s war had served as a shelter for Palestinians.
Romanelli had reported hearing from Francis soon after he was hospitalised, but not since. He had sent Francis a video, and the pope called to thank him, the Vatican said.
Earlier on Monday, the Vatican had announced the start of night prayers for the pope’s health in St Peter’s Square, and invited Romans and others to join in. The Vatican No.2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, planned to lead the first prayer on Monday evening.
