Pope Francis will miss the Angelus prayer for the second consecutive Sunday as the 88-year-old Pontiff remains in the hospital undergoing treatment for pneumonia, the Vatican announced.
The Vatican press office announced on Saturday that the text would be published but not read aloud, following the same format as the previous weekend.
During Friday’s press conference, the Pope’s medical team clarified that whilst his life was not in immediate peril, he remained in a delicate condition.
“Pope Francis rested well,” according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni’s brief update on Saturday.
But doctors have cautioned that the primary risk for the 88-year-old pontiff would be developing sepsis, a severe bloodstream infection that can emerge as a pneumonia complication. The pope’s medical team confirmed in their initial detailed report on Friday that there were no signs of sepsis, and Francis was showing positive responses to his prescribed medications.
“He is not out of danger,” his personal doctor, Dr. Luigi Carbone, stated. “So like all fragile patients I say they are always on the golden scale: In other words, it takes very little to become unbalanced.”
Francis, who has a chronic lung condition, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 after a prolonged bout of bronchitis worsened. His condition later progressed into pneumonia affecting both lungs, raising widespread concern.
Doctors initially diagnosed a complex respiratory tract infection caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal agents before confirming the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” along with a treatment regimen of cortisone, antibiotics, and supplemental oxygen as needed.
(With input from agencies)