Pope Francis had a stable day at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican reported Wednesday, which included calling the Catholic parish in Gaza and increasing his respiratory and mobility exercises.
In a March 5 statement, the Vatican said the 88-year-old pontiff "remained stable" throughout the day and experienced no episodes of respiratory difficulty or failure. The Vatican also confirmed he continued to receive high-flow oxygen through the nose as planned.
The Pope spent Wednesday sitting in a chair and participated in the Ash Wednesday blessing ritual from his private apartment on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican reported. According to the statement, he received the ashes and Eucharist from the celebrant during the morning ceremony.
During his stable day, Pope Francis made a phone call to Father Gabriel Romanelli, the priest of the Holy Family parish in Gaza and a fellow Argentine, the Vatican stated. This contact with the Gaza parish comes amid ongoing concerns about the situation in the region.
The pontiff also conducted some work activities throughout the morning and spent the afternoon continuing with his duties despite his hospitalization, according to Vatican sources.
Despite the Pope's stable condition, Vatican doctors are maintaining a "guarded" prognosis given the complexity of his clinical status, which includes factors such as his advanced age and underlying chronic respiratory illness.
The pontiff is now approaching three weeks of hospitalization after being admitted to Gemelli on February 14 for treatment of a complex respiratory infection and double pneumonia.
Since his admission, Pope Francis has experienced several fluctuations in his condition, with periodic respiratory crises necessitating continuous high-flow oxygen and, more recently, nighttime use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation. This treatment involves sealing an oxygen mask around his nose and mouth to create pressure that assists with inhalation.
The Vatican reported that twice in the past week, the Pope experienced bronchospasms – a tightening and restriction of the tubes connecting the lungs to the windpipe – that required suctioning and ventilation treatment.
According to Wednesday's statement, the ventilator is now removed during daytime hours, with the Pope receiving oxygen through his nose while continuing to perform respiratory exercises.
The Vatican statement indicated that Pope Francis has increased his respiratory physiotherapy and active motor therapy, aimed at improving his mobility and reducing oxygen dependency.
Due to his ongoing hospitalization, Pope Francis was unable to preside over the traditional Ash Wednesday procession and Mass, which was instead celebrated by Italian Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, major penitentiary of the Vatican's Apostolic Penitentiary.
A nightly rosary prayer for the Pope's health and recovery is being held in St. Peter's Square, attended by various cardinals and members of the Roman Curia residing in Rome. Wednesday's service was scheduled to be led by Italian Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Saints Causes.
