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VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis 鈥渞ested well鈥� during his eighth night in hospital, where the 88-year-old is being treated for double pneumonia, the Vatican said Saturday.
Francis was admitted to Rome鈥檚 Gemelli hospital on February 14 with bronchitis, but it turned into pneumonia in both lungs, causing widespread alarm.
The pontiff鈥檚 doctors had told a press conference on Friday there was no imminent risk to his life but that he was 鈥渘ot out of danger.鈥�
The Vatican鈥檚 early morning update Saturday was shorter than usual, without mentioning that he had eaten, saying simply: 鈥淧ope Francis rested well.鈥�
The Gemelli鈥檚 Professor Sergio Alfieri told reporters Friday that the pontiff鈥檚 condition has been slightly improving, allowing doctors to incrementally lower the amount of medication he is taking.
鈥淭he question is, is the pope out of danger? No, the pope is not out of danger,鈥� Alfieri said.
鈥淚f you then ask whether he is in danger of dying at this moment, the answer is still no,鈥� he added.
His hospitalization has cast doubt over Francis鈥檚 ability to continue as head of the world鈥檚 almost 1.4 billion Catholics.
But Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin dismissed this as 鈥渦seless speculation鈥� in an interview published Saturday with Italy鈥檚 Corriere della Sera daily.
鈥淣ow we are thinking about the health of the Holy Father, his recovery, his return to the Vatican: these are the only things that matter,鈥� the cardinal said.
Parolin said he personally had not yet been to see the pope, saying he was available but so far there was no need.
鈥淚t is better if he remains protected and has as few visitors as possible, to allow him to rest and make the treatment he is undergoing more effective,鈥� he added.
HEALTH ISSUES
Francis, who is staying in a special papal suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital, has been moving between his bed, a chair and an adjacent chapel where he prays.
He will remain in hospital 鈥渁t least for all next week,鈥� Alfieri said.
鈥淚f we send him to Santa Marta (his home at the Vatican), he鈥檒l start working again as before,鈥� he said.
Asked if the pope would be well enough to lead the Angelus prayer from his hospital window this Sunday, Alfieri said 鈥渢he pope will decide.鈥�
The doctor said 鈥渢he real risk in these cases is that the germs pass into the blood,鈥� which could result in sepsis, a life-threatening condition.
Doctor Luigi Carbone said the pope, who had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man, now has a chronic lung condition and 鈥渋s by definition a fragile patient.鈥�
But Alfieri stressed that 鈥渁t the same time, he has incredible resilience 鈥� How many others would have endured all these infections with the workload he has?鈥�
He added that Francis has difficulty breathing but was not on any machines and was 鈥渋n good spirits.鈥� He still has the wit of 鈥渁 70-year-old, maybe a 50-year-old.鈥�
But Francis鈥檚 absence from the Vatican means questions are being raised over the future of a leader with a punishing schedule who has been increasingly plagued by health issues in recent years.
Since 2021 he has undergone colon and hernia surgery, is overweight and suffers constant hip and knee pain, which force him to use a wheelchair most of the time.
Francis is also one of the oldest popes ever 鈥� and though he has said the job is for life, the pope has left the door open to resigning like his predecessor Benedict XVI.