Pope Francis marked Ash Wednesday on his 20th day in Rome’s Gemelli hospital by taking part in the rite of the blessing of the ashes and receiving them in a short prayer service, the Vatican said.
The Vatican
Pope Suffers Further Setback, Put Back on Ventilation
Amid what is now his third week in the hospital, Pope Francis Monday suffered what doctors described as two incidents of “acute” respiratory difficulty that required him to be put back on a ventilator.
Pope, From Hospital, Writes About ‘Blessing’ Hidden In Frailty
Pope Francis’ condition remained “stable” March 2, and he “did not require non-invasive mechanical ventilation, but only high-flow oxygen therapy,” the Vatican said in its evening medical bulletin.
Pope’s Breathing ‘Crisis’ Reportedly Passes, but He’s Still on Oxygen
While Italy’s main news agency reported that Pope Francis’ respiratory “crisis” had subsided, a Vatican source said he was still receiving supplemental oxygen by nasal cannula early Feb. 23.
Pope Has Respiratory ‘Crisis,’ Doctors Say ‘Prognosis Reserved’
Pope Francis experienced “an asthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged magnitude, which also required the use of oxygen at high flows” Feb. 22, said the daily medical bulletin released by the Vatican.
Top Aides Hit Back Against Rumors of Papal Death, Resignation
Several of Pope Francis’s top collaborators have hit back against rumors that Pope Francis’s health, while of concern, is declining as he marks one week in the hospital for treatment of bilateral pneumonia.
UPDATE: Pope Continues Showing ‘Slight’ Improvement, Vatican Says
On his sixth full day in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, “the Holy Father’s clinical condition is improving slightly,” the Vatican said.
UPDATE: Pope’s Condition Stable; Tests Show Some Improvement
Pope Francis’ doctors described his condition as “stable” late Feb. 19 even though “blood tests, evaluated by the medical staff, show a slight improvement, particularly in the inflammatory markers,” which are used to monitor infections, a Vatican medical bulletin said.
Pope Hospitalized for Tests, Bronchitis Treatment
After suffering from bronchitis for more than a week and having obvious difficulty breathing, the 88-year-old Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital Feb. 14.
Understanding the Jubilee and Its Roots From the Bible
A Holy Year, or jubilee, is a “great religious event” in the Catholic tradition, according to the Vatican. The Holy See describes it as one of “forgiveness of sins and also punishment due to sin … reconciliation between adversaries, of conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and consequently of solidarity, hope, justice, commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters.”