Pope Francis had a “peaceful” 21st night in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and “is still resting,” the Vatican said at 8:15 a.m., March 6.
Just before noon today, an informed Vatican source reported that after waking up this morning, Francis “continued with his therapies, including active motor physiotherapy,” as he did yesterday. During the night, the pope received oxygen by non-invasive mechanical ventilation, using a mask that covers his mouth and nose. As scheduled this morning, he again replaced the mask with the nasal tubes to receive high-flow oxygen.
The Vatican said a medical report will be issued as usual this evening, March 6.
The Argentine pope is now in his 21st day in Gemelli Hospital, where he was admitted on Feb. 14 with an infection in his respiratory tract that, soon after, developed into double pneumonia. The pneumonia is “following the normal evolution of a condition of this type under treatment,” according to information from his doctors. But they underline that it can take “a long time” for the antibiotics and other medications to take full effect.
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the lead doctor on the medical team caring for the pope, told the press on Feb. 21 that the 88-year-old pope’s heart is strong and that he has the mental faculties of a man of 60. The medical updates repeatedly confirm that the pope does not have a fever, an indication that the infection in his lungs is under control. The respiratory crises he has experienced in the hospital over the past two weeks, however, are evidence that the infection continues to produce a significant amount of mucus; his coughing to try to expel the mucus has triggered the crises.
The medical updates issued each evening report that the pope, now in his 21st day in hospital, “has always remained alert and oriented,” despite receiving a heavy load of medication, is in “good spirits” and cooperates with the doctors and other assistants as they carry out the prescribed therapies, including more recently the active motor physiotherapy.
Since his last crisis—two bronchial spasms on Monday, March 3—the pope has not had any other setbacks. While not excluding that there could be other similar crises, his doctors have reaffirmed that “his clinical picture remains stable, but in the context of a complex situation,” given his various pathologies and age. For these reasons, they continue to issue a “guarded prognosis,” indicating the situation is still unpredictable, and he is not yet out of danger.
Yesterday, Pope Francis returned to doing some work, assisted by his two private secretaries, priests from Argentina and Italy. An informed source told America that Francis is anxious to get back to Santa Marta so that he can continue his ministry in the Vatican.
His doctors have said that his recovery from pneumonia will take time, but they have not said how long. Many in Rome are wondering if Francis will have recovered sufficiently to lead the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening, April 19.
Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the substitute secretary for general affairs of the Secretariat of State, or the chief of staff, has twice visited the pope in the hospital together with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state. He told Avvenire, the daily newspaper of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, that when they met the pope, “the Holy Father expressed his gratitude for the prayer initiatives [for his recovery],” and, he remarked, “I think these are a great sign of consolation that the Lord is giving him.”
He recalled the immense joy on the night of Francis’ election as pope on March 13, 2013, when he greeted the crowd in St. Peter’s Square and brought great silence by asking them to pray for him before he blessed them. Archbishop Peña Parra remarked, “Today, while Pope Francis is being tried by illness, this square is again crowded with many faithful who gather each evening to pray the Rosary, led by those who are the brothers of the pope and his closest collaborators, namely the cardinals.”
Last evening, March 5, for the 10th consecutive night, cardinals, bishops, Vatican officials and employees, as well as Romans and pilgrims from many countries who have come here for the Jubilee Year, gathered in St. Peter’s Square at 9 p.m. to pray the Rosary. The Italian cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, led the prayer. In his introduction, he invited everyone as “pilgrims of hope” to “join the whole church in praying for the health of our Holy Father Francis.” He invoked especially the intercession of Our Lady, the protectress of the people of Rome, before whose image in the Basilica of St. Mary Major Francis has prayed more than 100 times during his pontificate, “to sustain him in this moment.”
