VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis is still “stable,” the Vatican said Friday, as he continues to slowly improve day by day in hospital but still with no sign as to a discharge.
While on a lengthy break from medical bulletins – last was issued Wednesday and the next not expected until Monday – the Holy See Press Office has supplied some brief information about the Pope as he marks his 35th day in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
He reportedly “remains stable with some small improvements in terms of motor and respiratory function.”
In recent days he has had no visitors, and spent his time in “drug therapy, respiratory and active motor physiotherapy, prayer and a little work.”
Being without visitors is notable, as it means that Francis has not even met with the Vatican Secretary of State since March 9, in what was only the third publicized meeting between them since his hospitalization began. In the Vatican, the pair would be in daily face-to-face contact.
As of Wednesday he has been reported as not needing the oxygen mask at nights, though he still uses some supplementary oxygen via the high-flow nasal cannulas. He also still uses these during the day, though “less and less,” the Vatican said.
Even though doctors have reported steady improvements in his condition, there is still no date given for a hospital discharge nor talk of what that might resemble for the Pope, who has now been hospitalized with double pneumonia for five weeks.
Indeed it has become the longest hospital stay of his pontificate, with the previous longest being a stay of 10 days during the summer of 2021, and is currently the second-longest papal hospitalization at 35 full days – second only to John Paul II’s 55-day stay in 1981.
King Charles III is due to visit Francis in the Vatican on April 8, prompting speculation that Francis might be attempting to make his return to the Vatican by then. However, such remains very much to be seen.
A longtime close aide, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, stated Friday that Francis “must learn to speak again,” though added that “the pope is well.”
Such a scenario would indeed be supported by the only time Francis’ voice has been heard since his February 14 hospitalization, when a 30 second message was played just before the nightly Rosary in St. Peter’s Square March 6, in which Francis thanked all present for their prayers for his health. His voice was notably strained in the very brief recording – a recording that Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican Press Office, said was the Pope’s own decision to make and release.
His condition now has been stable since the evening update of March 4, though doctors have previously warned that it can change drastically in a short space of time.
But recent days suggest that – providing the sparse details are true – his condition is slightly improving, but will very likely require a lengthy hospitalization, possibly even coming close to the 55-day record.
Since February 24 the Vatican has been staging nightly Rosaries for the health of the Pope – a ceremony which was begun amid strong fears that the Pope might die imminently due to the seriousness of his condition.
These now take place at 7:30pm local time, and it is not known for how long they will continue if the Pope’s hospitalization extends for some weeks.
While mainstream media have often pushed the question of a papal resignation, Francis’ close aides have repeatedly rejected such a possibility.
For full background on the Pope’s hospitalization, see LifeSiteNews’ coverage here.
