Pope Francis, who is in critical condition battling double pneumonia, thanked the faithful for their kind messages during his hospitalization on Sunday — as he assured them that he was resting well.
“In recent days I have received many messages of affection, and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children,” the 88-year-old pontiff said on X.
“Thank you for this closeness, and for the prayers of comfort I have received from all over the world! I entrust you all to the intercession of Mary, and I ask you to pray for me,” he added.
Pope Francis arrives at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome on Oct. 25, 2025. AFP via Getty ImagesThe pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after experiencing difficulty breathing for several days, with doctors diagnosing him with pneumonia in both lungs.
The Vatican said his condition was critical for the first time on Saturday, with the pontiff needing supplemental oxygen and blood transfusions following a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis.”
Despite the health scare, the Vatican said Francis had a “tranquil” night of rest, with the pope assuring his flock that all was going well on his road to recovery.
“I am confidently continuing my hospitalisation at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” Francis said in a statement from the Vatican.
“I sincerely thank the doctors and health workers of this hospital for the attention they are showing me and the dedication with which they carry out their service among the sick,” he added.
People pray near the statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized on Feb. 23, 2025. REUTERS
A nun prays in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City as Pope Francis continues his treatment in Rome. REUTERSThe Diocese of Rome, which the pope leads, held a special Mass on Sunday for the ailing Francis, with Archbishop Rino Fisichella, a senior Vatican official, telling participants at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica that they should make their prayers for Francis “stronger and more intense.”
Congregants have flocked to the Vatican and outside Gemeli hospital to pray for Francis, leaving flowers and notes at a statue of the late Pope John Paul II.
“I am very, very sad,” said Elvira Romana, from Italy. “I don’t know how you can continue on normally at this moment.”
Matteo Licari, from Sardinia, said he was “extremely worried.” “Let’s hope he can keep living,” said Licari. “We are waiting for him to come back here.”
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A nun prays next to candles, flowers and pictures of Pope Francis left outside the hospital. REUTERSDouble pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflame and scar both lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
The pontiff is particularly prone to lung infections after he developed pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, a senior member of the Gemelli staff, said there was a risk the lung infection could spread to the pope’s bloodstream and develop into sepsis, which “could be very difficult to overcome.”
With Post wires
