Nuns pray in front of the statue of late Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis is admitted for treatment, in Rome, Italy, Feb. 24, 2025.
The Vatican, February 24 (RHC)-- Pope Francis is resting after a quiet night without new respiratory crises, after the one he suffered on Saturday, an official report said today.
A note released this morning by the Holy See press office indicates that as a result of the medical treatment he is receiving at the Gemelli Polyclinic, where he has been hospitalized since February 14th, “the night went well, the Pope slept and is resting.”
The health of the Supreme Pontiff is still very delicate, but a slight improvement is noted after the cessation of his respiratory crises and the increase in the hemoglobin level, after the transfusions of two units of red blood cells that were performed, while thrombocytopenia, a term related to a low level of platelets, remains stable.
A report published by the Vatican press office on Sunday evening, however, stated that “some blood tests show an initial mild renal insufficiency, currently under control” and the Bishop of Rome continues to receive high-flow oxygen therapy through nasal cannulas.
“The complexity of the clinical picture and the wait necessary for pharmacological therapies to give some response force the prognosis to remain reserved,” but for the moment “the Holy Father remains vigilant and well guided,” the statement said.
A report published on the Vatican News website indicated that at 5:30 p.m. local time on February 23, the Cardinal Vicar of Pope Francis for the Diocese of Rome, Baldassare Reina, celebrated a Mass in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, with a special intercession for the health of the Pontiff.
The church of San Domenico in Bologna also welcomed the faithful at 8:00 p.m. local time on that day, for a prayer for the recovery and salvation of Francis, officiated by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of that city in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI).
Zuppi announced that, after that event in Bologna, starting this Monday all the churches of Italy will be involved in these prayers because, as he said, “we want to join the Holy Father, asking the Lord to support him in this moment of suffering, so that he can find relief and recover as soon as possible.”
In a message prepared for the usual Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis said that “for my part, I continue with confidence my hospitalization at the Gemelli Polyclinic, undergoing the necessary treatments; and rest is also part of the therapy!”
“I sincerely thank the doctors and medical staff of this hospital for the care they show me and the dedication with which they carry out their service among the sick,” the highest representative of the Catholic Church added in the document.
(Source: Prensa Latina)
