Pope Francis: His condition has apparently improved slightly

The health of Pope Francis (88) has apparently improved slightly, but is still critical. The Holy See announced this on Monday evening. "Today there were no asthma-like attacks of shortness of breath, and some laboratory tests showed an improvement," said a statement published by "Vatican News" . At 9 p.m. the Vatican invited people to pray the rosary for the head of the Catholic Church in St. Peter's Square. This will now take place daily.

The Vatican's daily bulletin from the Gemelli Clinic, where Francis has been receiving treatment for a week and a half, also said that the Pontiff still has mild renal insufficiency, but that this is not a cause for concern. Oxygen therapy will continue, but with a slightly reduced flow and oxygen content. Finally, it says that the doctors are sticking to a "cautious prognosis" "given the complexity of the clinical picture." Papal spokesman Matteo Bruni had previously reported that Francis was "in good spirits."

The statement goes on to say that Francis received the Eucharist in the morning and even resumed work on the afternoon of his eleventh day in hospital. The Argentinian had telephoned a Catholic parish priest in Gaza that evening "to express his fatherly closeness to him." The Gaza parish had sent the Pope a video, and Francis thanked them for it in the phone call. He also thanked "the entire people of God who are gathering in these days to pray for him."

The 88-year-old has been suffering from a respiratory illness since mid-December. Last week, bilateral pneumonia was diagnosed in hospital.

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