AdvertisementAdvertisementCandles are lit up for Pope Francis in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, where the Pontiff has been hospitalized since Feb. 14, in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)27 Feb 2025 02:48AM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInRead a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis's condition showed "a further, slight improvement", the Vatican said Wednesday (Feb 26), while continuing to maintain the prognosis for the 88-year-old fighting pneumonia in both lungs was "reserved"."The clinical conditions of the Holy Father in the last 24 hours have shown a further, slight improvement," said the Vatican in its nightly bulletin on the health of the pontiff, who has been in hospital since Feb 14."Although a slight improvement is being recorded, the prognosis remains reserved," it said.The Argentine pope was originally admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital with breathing difficulties and bronchitis, but his condition subsequently deteriorated, sparking widespread concern among Catholics.People pray for Pope Francis in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, where the Pontiff has been hospitalized since Feb. 14, in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)Respiratory attacks he suffered at the weekend that required high levels of oxygen and blood transfusions have not been repeated, according to the Vatican, although he continues to receive oxygen and do breathing exercises.On Wednesday, the Vatican said a CT scan performed Tuesday showed "normal progression of the pulmonary inflammatory condition" while blood tests on Wednesday confirmed the improvement.It also said that a mild renal insufficiency detected at the weekend "had resolved".As Catholics across the globe pray for Francis, doctors have warned the path to recovery could be long, with the Jesuit pontiff likely staying in hospital beyond this week.What we know about Pope Francis's healthDespite his critical condition, the leader of the world's nearly 1.4 billion Catholics has kept up with Church matters from his hospital suite, according to the Vatican.Now on his 13th day in the hospital, the pope Wednesday was "sitting in a chair, and continuing with the treatment as normal", a Vatican source said.The Vatican said he received the Eucharist in the morning and spent his afternoon working.The current hospitalisation is Francis's fourth and longest.The pope, who had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man, has suffered increasing health problems in recent years.He is prone to bronchitis and suffers from hip and knee pain, which has made him reliant on a wheelchair.Pilgrims and faithful have been flocking to the Vatican and the Gemelli to pray for Francis, with a fresh round of prayers held in St Peter's Square later Wednesday evening.Source: AFP/fsSign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST