Candles with Pope Francis' image on them stand outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 21, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNAVatican City, Mar 3, 2025 / 02:05 am (CNA).Pope Francis was admitted to Romes' Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis. Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:
Candles with Pope Francis' image on them stand outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 21, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Vatican City, Mar 3, 2025 / 02:05 am (CNA).
Pope Francis was admitted to Romes' Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.
Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:
The chapel at Gemelli Hosptial in Rome bears the name and contains a relic of another pope who knew these corridors well: St. John Paul II. The Polish pontiff was hospitalized here multiple times, including after an assassination attempt in 1981. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNACNA Newsroom, Mar 3, 2025 / 06:44 am (CNA).Pope Francis spent a restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital and has begun his daily treatments after waking Monday morning, having breakfast with coffee, and reading newspapers as part of his normal routine, according to Vatican sources.The pope's condition remains stable, with Vatican sources reporting that his bilateral pneumonia is neither worsening nor causing immediate concern. No special examinations beyond routine daily tests are currently scheduled.Recovery for the 88-year-old Holy Father "will certainly not be imminent," Vatican officials cautioned, indicating a potentially extended hospital stay as the pope continues to receive medical care.Regarding the...
The chapel at Gemelli Hosptial in Rome bears the name and contains a relic of another pope who knew these corridors well: St. John Paul II. The Polish pontiff was hospitalized here multiple times, including after an assassination attempt in 1981. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Mar 3, 2025 / 06:44 am (CNA).
Pope Francis spent a restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital and has begun his daily treatments after waking Monday morning, having breakfast with coffee, and reading newspapers as part of his normal routine, according to Vatican sources.
The pope's condition remains stable, with Vatican sources reporting that his bilateral pneumonia is neither worsening nor causing immediate concern. No special examinations beyond routine daily tests are currently scheduled.
Recovery for the 88-year-old Holy Father "will certainly not be imminent," Vatican officials cautioned, indicating a potentially extended hospital stay as the pope continues to receive medical care.
Regarding the upcoming spiritual exercises scheduled for next Sunday, Vatican sources stated that no decisions have been made about how the pope might participate in these Lenten observances.
The faithful will gather in St. Peter's Square this evening to pray for the pope's recovery. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, will lead the recitation of the Holy Rosary at 9:00 p.m.
Marco Mancini contributed to this report.
Candles with Pope Francis' image on them stand outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 21, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNAVatican City, Mar 3, 2025 / 02:05 am (CNA).Pope Francis was admitted to Romes' Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis. Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:
Candles with Pope Francis' image on them stand outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 21, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Vatican City, Mar 3, 2025 / 02:05 am (CNA).
Pope Francis was admitted to Romes' Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.
Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:
The entrance to Rome's Gemelli University Hospital, where Popes John Paul II and Francis have received medical care. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAVatican City, Mar 2, 2025 / 14:42 pm (CNA).Pope Francis was admitted to Romes' Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis. Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:
The entrance to Rome's Gemelli University Hospital, where Popes John Paul II and Francis have received medical care. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Vatican City, Mar 2, 2025 / 14:42 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis was admitted to Romes' Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.
Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:
Religious sisters join the faithful for the evening rosary at St. Peter's Square, where Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández led prayers for Pope Francis on Feb. 28, 2025 / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAVatican City, Mar 2, 2025 / 04:02 am (CNA).Pope Francis spent another restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after being admitted on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis. Follow here for the latest news on Pope Francis' health and hospitalization:
Religious sisters join the faithful for the evening rosary at St. Peter's Square, where Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández led prayers for Pope Francis on Feb. 28, 2025 / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Vatican City, Mar 2, 2025 / 04:02 am (CNA).
Pope Francis spent another restful night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after being admitted on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.
Follow here for the latest news on Pope Francis' health and hospitalization:
Hot cross buns. / Credit: zi3000/ShutterstockRome Newsroom, Mar 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).Though many Catholics may associate the liturgical season of Lent more with the practice of fasting and abstaining from food, many families around the world use the 40-day season to prepare specific homemade delicacies to remind them of the life of Jesus Christ as he made his way to the cross. MexicoCapirotada, which is similar to a bread pudding, is a treat served by many Mexican families on the Fridays of Lent. Though recipes may vary from one family to the next, the traditional sweet and savory ingredients carry rich religious symbolism linked to Jesus' crucifixion.Bread rolls used in the dish represent the body of Christ; honey or piloncillo syrup, made from cane sugar, is meant to symbolize the blood of Christ; whole cloves are used to represent the nails of the crucifixion; cinnamon sticks are used to symbolize the wooden cross of Christ; and the melted cheese coating the p...
Hot cross buns. / Credit: zi3000/Shutterstock
Rome Newsroom, Mar 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Though many Catholics may associate the liturgical season of Lent more with the practice of fasting and abstaining from food, many families around the world use the 40-day season to prepare specific homemade delicacies to remind them of the life of Jesus Christ as he made his way to the cross.
Capirotada, which is similar to a bread pudding, is a treat served by many Mexican families on the Fridays of Lent. Though recipes may vary from one family to the next, the traditional sweet and savory ingredients carry rich religious symbolism linked to Jesus' crucifixion.
Bread rolls used in the dish represent the body of Christ; honey or piloncillo syrup, made from cane sugar, is meant to symbolize the blood of Christ; whole cloves are used to represent the nails of the crucifixion; cinnamon sticks are used to symbolize the wooden cross of Christ; and the melted cheese coating the pudding represents the shroud used for Jesus' burial.
Aguas fresca — a drink made with still water, fresh fruits of your choice, sugar, oats, and other cereals, seeds, and floral teas — are prepared and served by families to passersby in Oaxaca on Good Friday. Though not solely a Lenten beverage, this Good Friday tradition is an opportunity for Oaxaca families to quench the thirst of Jesus on his way to Jerusalem — just like the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well (cf. Jn 4:4-42) — by serving a fellow neighbor.
Fanesca, a soup eaten during Lent and Holy Week made with cod and 12 kinds of beans and legumes, is said to represent Jesus Christ and the Twelve Apostles at the Last Supper.
The dish's religious significance dates back to the 16th century and is believed to be connected to a monastery in Quito, Ecuador, during the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
Some families take advantage to make this lunch dish together — preparing the fish and shelling the many beans and legumes — with a spirit of prayer, contemplating the Last Supper in the upper room just hours before Jesus began his passion in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Kwarezimal, which derives its name from the Latin word "Quadragesima," meaning the "40 days of Lent," are sweet cakes made with almond paste, honey, and orange rind.
This Lenten sweet treat is also given to children who want to embark upon a one-day, 14-church pilgrimage to remember Jesus' 14 Stations of the Cross.
Qaghaq tal-appostli or "Apostles' Rings" are sweet, savory, unleavened circular bread loaves topped with almonds and sesame seeds eaten on Holy Thursday.
The treat is associated with the events of Holy Thursday when Jesus made his apostles priests and instituted the Eucharist and the celebration of the Mass.
Zenkoul, a dish of bulgur wheat balls (or pumpkin balls) combined with chickpeas, rice, garlic, onion, and pomegranate molasses, is eaten by Lebanese families during Lent and Good Friday.
Some families add vinegar to their Zenkoul instead of lemon juice to remind them when Jesus told the Roman soldiers "I thirst" (cf. Jn 19:28) before dying on the cross and fulfilling the prophecy "for my thirst they gave me vinegar" (cf. Ps 69:22).
Christ's Feast is a traditional dish shared and eaten together in Iraqi villages on Good Friday. Made with habbiyeh wheat, several types of grains, and a variety of beans and legumes, the most distinctive ingredient of the dish is "akoub," a prickly plant that grows abundantly during spring.
By combining all the ingredients with a little water, Christ's Feast is turned into a soup and cooked slowly until it is ready to be mashed and served to families on Good Friday.
For some Iraqi Christians, the difficulty in preparing the dish — particularly removing the thorns of the akoub — is a form of participating in Jesus' passion. The prickly plant is also said to symbolize the crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head before he was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate.
Pretzels, the iconic bread twist simply made with salt, yeast, flour, and water linked to several parts of Europe, are believed to have been invented specifically as a Lenten food by an Italian monk in the early Middle Ages, according to a Vatican Library document.
With the purpose of helping Catholics to live the penitential season with prayer and simplicity, the treat's shape resembles hands in prayer, forming three holes representing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Hot cross buns are believed to have first been distributed to poor English Catholics on a Good Friday between the 12th and 14th centuries. Today, the sweet-spiced buns are eaten in England and in Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand during Lent and Holy Week.
While some historic accounts suggest the buns — traditionally made with flour, eggs, yeast, currents, and cardamom — have ancient pagan origins, other records hint that medieval monks Christianized the recipe by baking the buns with distinct crosses to represent the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and using different spices to symbolize his burial.
Ascension's "Set Free" Lenten program with Father Josh Johnson promises to guide listeners this Lent through daily reflections on overcoming the seven deadly sins in our lives. / Credit: AscensionCNA Staff, Mar 2, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).As Lent begins on March 5, we are reminded of the opportunity to grow in faith as we journey in the desert with Jesus for 40 days. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three areas in which we are called to focus throughout the Lenten season as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Christ on Easter.Here are five resources to help you grow in your faith this Lent:'Set Free' with Father Josh Johnson on AscensionExclusively on the Ascension app, "Set Free" by Father Josh Johnson promises to guide listeners through daily reflections on overcoming the seven deadly sins in our lives. The reflections are designed to help participants know what the seven deadly sins are and how they appear in our lives. The program will outline specific fast...
Ascension's "Set Free" Lenten program with Father Josh Johnson promises to guide listeners this Lent through daily reflections on overcoming the seven deadly sins in our lives. / Credit: Ascension
CNA Staff, Mar 2, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
As Lent begins on March 5, we are reminded of the opportunity to grow in faith as we journey in the desert with Jesus for 40 days. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three areas in which we are called to focus throughout the Lenten season as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Christ on Easter.
Here are five resources to help you grow in your faith this Lent:
Exclusively on the Ascension app, "Set Free" by Father Josh Johnson promises to guide listeners through daily reflections on overcoming the seven deadly sins in our lives. The reflections are designed to help participants know what the seven deadly sins are and how they appear in our lives. The program will outline specific fasts to use to combat each one of these sins and show you how to pray with Scripture and surrender yourself to God. The reflections end with a powerful, step-by-step examination of conscience with the goal of helping you experience more deeply the sacrament of confession.
The "Set Free" program is based on Johnson's book "Pocket Guide to Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins." In an interview with CNA, Johnson, vocations director for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, explained that the idea for the book first came from feeling the need to help his brother priests with penances for people in confession.
"I think as a priest we have a responsibility to not only absolve them from their sins but to help them to identify what's at the root of their sins and as a spiritual father to give them practical and biblical remedies that can help them to combat against those vices that they might be struggling with," he said.
After praying further about his idea, he realized that it could be helpful for all of the laity in order to help them overcome their struggles with sin.
"I wanted to have a book for the laity … who want to experience freedom and to be able to go deeper into an understanding of what are the seven deadly sins, how are they operative, how might they be masked, what might precede me falling into them, and then what are some ways that I can pray and fast and some wisdom I can gain from Church Fathers, the catechism, and the Bible to fight against these vices," Johnson shared.
Johnson has three hopes for those who take part in the Lenten program: First, "that people fall more in love with Scripture and rely on Scripture for everything"; second, for "people to have a better capacity to examine their conscience prior to going to confession to really be able to discern deeper vices"; and lastly that they have "an experience of God's love and mercy in the midst of our ongoing struggles."
CNA's full interview with Johnson about the program can be viewed here:
Hallow will be taking listeners on a journey to grow closer to Christ this Lent through "Pray40: The Way." Jonathahn Roumie, Mark Wahlberg, Chris Pratt, Father Mike Schmitz, Sister Miriam James Heidland, and Cardinal Robert Sarah will help listeners dive deeper into the writing of St. Josemaría Escrivá, author of "The Way."
Listeners will meditate on the lives of those who followed Christ's way, including the life of Servant of God Takashi Nagai, a Japanese physician who survived the atomic bombing in 1945 and had a powerful conversion as shared in his biography "A Song for Nagasaki."
Roumie will take participants through reflections and prayers on "The Way" and "A Song for Nagasaki." Wahlberg and Pratt will lead listeners in fasting challenges and Scripture readings encouraging the faithful to give their hearts fully to Christ. Heidland will guide listeners through imaginative prayer; Schmitz will give Sunday homilies; and Sarah will offer guidance for silent meditation.
"Our Lenten challenge is always our biggest challenge of the year and it's an honor to get to pray with so many incredible voices and our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world," CEO and co-founder of Hallow Alex Jones told CNA.
Father Boniface Hicks, OSB, will be conducting Word on Fire's first-ever Lenten retreat.
The seven-part online retreat will provide an opportunity for participants to deepen their prayer lives and intimacy with Christ by focusing on the interior life.
Hicks, a renowned spiritual director and author, will guide participants in reflections each week focusing on different topics in order to grow closer to the heart of Jesus. Some topics include slowing down and returning to the heart, loving Jesus like St. Thérèse of Lisieux did, receiving Christ's love and mercy, and more.
In "Under the Olive Tree," author Olivia Spears guides readers to the Mount of Olives to console the heart of Jesus in his sufferings and be consoled in our sufferings as well.
Each week offers meditations on Jesus' agony in the garden, praying the Psalms, and diving more deeply into Jesus' sacrificial love.
Readers will also be invited to contemplate Jesus' love in Eucharistic adoration.
If you're looking for powerful reads for the Lenten season, there are several to choose from:
"Mother Angelica's The Way of the Cross" by Father Joseph Mary Wolfe, MFVA, dives deeper into the beauty of the Stations of the Cross.
"Remember Your Death: Momento Mori Lenten Devotional" by Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP, is Lenten devotional that helps readers meditate on their own mortality and the gift of salvation in preparation for Easter.
"Praying with Jesus and Faustina During Lent and in Times of Suffering" by Susan Tassone includes daily meditations featuring the words of Jesus and St. Faustina on the Passion. Each day also includes reflections for times of suffering.
"Lenten Journey with Mother Mary" by Father Edward Looney takes readers through the journey of Lent alongside the Blessed Virgin Mary in order to view Lent and Easter in a completely new way.
Left: Banners at Rome's Gemelli University Hospital. Right: Pope Francis waves from a wheelchair, Feb. 13, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNACNA Newsroom, Mar 2, 2025 / 07:30 am (CNA).Pope Francis expressed heartfelt gratitude on Sunday for the prayers and support he has received during his hospitalization while offering his own prayers for those suffering around the world. Vatican sources reported that the 88-year-old pontiff met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin on the morning of Mar. 2, in his hospital room. The Secretary of State was accompanied by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. The Vatican officials visited the pope following his restful night, during which he reportedly slept well. According to the same sources, Pope Francis woke up Sunday morning, had coffee, read the newspapers, and continued his prescribed treatments.Feeling "carried by all God's people"In his Sunday message released by the Vatican's press office,...
Left: Banners at Rome's Gemelli University Hospital. Right: Pope Francis waves from a wheelchair, Feb. 13, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Mar 2, 2025 / 07:30 am (CNA).
Pope Francis expressed heartfelt gratitude on Sunday for the prayers and support he has received during his hospitalization while offering his own prayers for those suffering around the world.
Vatican sources reported that the 88-year-old pontiff met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin on the morning of Mar. 2, in his hospital room. The Secretary of State was accompanied by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.
The Vatican officials visited the pope following his restful night, during which he reportedly slept well. According to the same sources, Pope Francis woke up Sunday morning, had coffee, read the newspapers, and continued his prescribed treatments.
In his Sunday message released by the Vatican's press office, Pope Francis said, "I would like to thank you for the prayers, which rise up to the Lord from the hearts of so many faithful from many parts of the world."
The pontiff continued: "I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am 'carried' and supported by all God's people."
The message accompanied the text for the Angelus prayer, which the pope was unable to deliver publicly for the third consecutive time due to his ongoing health issues. Francis has been receiving treatment at Rome's Gemelli Hospital since Feb. 14.
In his Sunday message, Francis reflected on the day's Gospel reading (Luke 6:39-45), particularly Jesus' words about removing the "wooden beam from your eye" before attempting to remove the "splinter in your brother's eye."
The pope emphasized the importance of fraternal correction rooted in charity rather than condemnation. "I feel in my heart the 'blessing' that is hidden within frailty, because it is precisely in these moments that we learn even more to trust in the Lord," the pope wrote. "At the same time, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share in body and spirit the condition of so many sick and suffering people."
The pontiff also turned his thoughts to areas of conflict around the world, saying: "I pray for you too. And I pray above all for peace. From here, war appears even more absurd. Let us pray for tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and Kivu."
A medical update on the pope's condition is expected Sunday evening. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, will lead a rosary for the pope's health Sunday evening at 9 p.m. local time in St. Peter's Square.
An unknown security guard stands at the entrance of a church destroyed during the fighting with ISIS in Mosul, Iraq. / Credit: CHRIS POOK/ShutterstockACI MENA, Mar 1, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).Marking 10 years since ISIS swept into Mosul and the towns of the Nineveh Plain, EWTN News, in collaboration with its sister agency covering the Middle East and North Africa, ACI MENA, has released a documentary delving into the roots of Christianity in Iraq, its history dating back nearly 2,000 years, and how Christians there have survived despite attempts to erase their presence.The documentary, "Persecuted Christians in Iraq: An EWTN News Special," premiered Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Through a dialogue with Father Mazin Mattoka, president of the Monastery of the Martyrs Mar Behnam and Marth Sarah, a Syriac Catholic monastery in northern Iraq, the documentary showcases some of the monastery's history, dating back to the fourth century A.D., including its sculptures and historical murals, many ...
An unknown security guard stands at the entrance of a church destroyed during the fighting with ISIS in Mosul, Iraq. / Credit: CHRIS POOK/Shutterstock
ACI MENA, Mar 1, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).
Marking 10 years since ISIS swept into Mosul and the towns of the Nineveh Plain, EWTN News, in collaboration with its sister agency covering the Middle East and North Africa, ACI MENA, has released a documentary delving into the roots of Christianity in Iraq, its history dating back nearly 2,000 years, and how Christians there have survived despite attempts to erase their presence.
The documentary, "Persecuted Christians in Iraq: An EWTN News Special," premiered Feb. 28 at 8 p.m.
Through a dialogue with Father Mazin Mattoka, president of the Monastery of the Martyrs Mar Behnam and Marth Sarah, a Syriac Catholic monastery in northern Iraq, the documentary showcases some of the monastery's history, dating back to the fourth century A.D., including its sculptures and historical murals, many of which were destroyed by ISIS, especially the crosses.
In the documentary, Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of the Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil highlights what he calls the ongoing "dialogue of life" between Christians and Muslims since the late seventh century with the arrival of the conqueror, and the role Christians played in enriching the Arab civilization by translating texts of philosophy, mathematics, medicine, and other Greek sciences, first into Syriac and then into Arabic.
The archbishop discusses the choices ISIS put before Christians: Convert to Islam, pay the jizya (protection tax), or leave, noting that while paying the jizya might have been acceptable in the eighth century, it is no longer the case in the 21st century.
Archbishop Benedictus Younan Hano of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul highlights the suffering of Christians from forced displacement and their deep pain from feeling marginalized in their country, without a place of refuge, unprotected, feeling betrayed and let down as they lose their towns, homes, and churches, becoming refugees in their own nation.
In the film, Hano clarifies that ISIS' targeting was not limited to Christians but affected all components of Iraq — everyone was at risk and subject to persecution.
Several Christians from the Nineveh Plain provide testimonies in the film of their painful experiences during ISIS' occupation and during the series of events that followed the 2003 incidents, which created a political, social, and religious vacuum that allowed armed groups with extremist ideologies to occupy that space, as explained by former member of the Iraqi Parliament Khalis Esho.
Several young volunteers who served the displaced in Ankawa-Erbil during the crisis share their experiences and lessons in the film as well.
Father Raed Adel, head of the Syriac Catholic Churches in Mosul, recalls Pope Francis' courageous historic visit to the city in 2021, attributing the active reconstruction movement to that visit.
For his part, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, the Chaldean patriarch, expresses the relief and great hope that Pope Francis' visit instilled in all Iraqis, noting: "It was three days free from attacks and problems, and everyone followed the visit with joy."
In the documentary, Sako also emphasizes the importance of solidifying the state of citizenship to enhance trust in the future and ensure human rights, justice, and equality.
The new documentary briefly covers some of the scars left by the events of 2014, still deeply etched in the Christian villages and towns, but according to witnesses and leaders in the film, these places remain vibrant with life and filled with the remaining Christians who are rooted in their faith and homeland, proud of their heritage, steadfast and clinging to the land of their ancestors, determined to rebuild, develop, and continue to be beacons of light in the darkness.
"Persecuted Christians in Iraq: An EWTN News Special" can be viewed below:
A statue of St. John Paul II is seen in front of the entrance to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Feb. 22, 2025, where Pope Francis continues to receive treatment for respiratory issues. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNACNA Newsroom, Mar 1, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).Pope Francis' clinical condition remains stable after Friday's bronchospasm episode that caused vomiting and sudden respiratory deterioration, according to a Holy See Press Office statement released Saturday evening.The 88-year-old pontiff has been alternating between noninvasive mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, the Vatican communiqué stated.Medical updates indicate the Holy Father remains fever-free with no signs of infection in his blood work. His vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate, continue to be stable. The statement also highlighted that Pope Francis has maintained a healthy appetite and is actively participating in breathing exercises prescribed by his medical team.Vatican officials ...
A statue of St. John Paul II is seen in front of the entrance to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Feb. 22, 2025, where Pope Francis continues to receive treatment for respiratory issues. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Mar 1, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis' clinical condition remains stable after Friday's bronchospasm episode that caused vomiting and sudden respiratory deterioration, according to a Holy See Press Office statement released Saturday evening.
The 88-year-old pontiff has been alternating between noninvasive mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, the Vatican communiqué stated.
Medical updates indicate the Holy Father remains fever-free with no signs of infection in his blood work. His vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate, continue to be stable. The statement also highlighted that Pope Francis has maintained a healthy appetite and is actively participating in breathing exercises prescribed by his medical team.
Vatican officials confirmed the pope has not experienced further bronchospasm episodes. He remains "alert and oriented" and received the Eucharist Saturday afternoon, after which he dedicated time to prayer.
The statement concluded by noting that "the prognosis remains reserved," suggesting doctors are still cautious about the pope's recovery timeline.
The Holy See Press Office confirmed earlier today that, as with the previous two Sundays, the text of the Angelus will be distributed in written form tomorrow rather than delivered by the pope in person.
According to Vatican sources, the pontiff's breathing is improving, though his overall condition remains complex. The situation regarding his pneumonia is described as stable.
Francis prayed for approximately 20 minutes in the chapel near his room on the 10th floor of Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he is receiving treatment. The pope reportedly remains in good spirits and has been informed of the many prayers being offered for him.
Further medical details may become available tomorrow, Vatican sources indicated.
Marco Mancini contributed to this report.
