Pope Francis's Health Remains Critical With Recent Respiratory Attack

Pope Francis remains in critical condition, the Vatican confirmed Saturday, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles double pneumonia during his ninth night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. He suffered a prolonged respiratory crisis requiring high-flow oxygen and blood transfusions for anemia and thrombocytopenia. While alert and spending parts of the day seated in an armchair, his prognosis remains uncertain. Doctors stress his advanced age and health history - including past surgeries in 2021 and 2023 - complicate recovery.

The Vatican canceled his Sunday Angelus prayer, opting to publish the text instead. Amid speculation about his ability to lead the Catholic Church, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin dismissed discussions of resignation as “useless speculation,” urging focus on his recovery.

Supporters, including nuns and priests, gathered outside the hospital to pray. Brazilian priest Don Wellison expressed hope for Francis’s healing “in the grace of God.” Medical lead Sergio Alfieri noted slight improvement but emphasized the pope “is not out of danger.”

Francis, who once joked about “conclave preparations” during past health scares, has left open the possibility of resigning, though he views the papacy as a lifelong role. His current struggle underscores ongoing tensions between his reform efforts and critics within the Church.