Pope Francis nearing new milestones as hospital stay closes in on a month
The Vatican has released an update on the 88-year-old’s health
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Your support makes all the difference.Pope Francis's recovery from double pneumonia is progressing as he approaches two significant milestones: the 12th anniversary of his election as pope on Thursday, and a near-record hospital stay for a pontiff.
The Vatican reported that the 88-year-old pontiff had a restful night at Rome's Gemelli hospital on Tuesday night.
While his physical and respiratory therapy continues, he is expected to participate remotely in the Vatican's spiritual retreat.
The Pope's weekly Wednesday general audience was previously cancelled, as the Vatican hierarchy is on retreat this week as part of the Lenten spiritual exercises.
Doctors have noted slow, gradual improvements in Francis's condition, stating that he is no longer in imminent danger following the respiratory infection that led to his hospitalisation on February 14.
However, they remain cautious due to the complexity of his condition and overall fragility, and have said that he will need to remain hospitalised for an unspecified number of days.
Thursday marks the 12th anniversary of Francis's election as the 266th pope. The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected on the fifth ballot of the 2013 conclave, which was convened after Pope Benedict XVI's resignation.
While Francis has praised Benedict's humility and suggested he might follow suit, he has more recently affirmed that his papacy is a lifelong commitment.
The Holy See has not said how the anniversary, which is a public holiday in the Vatican, might be commemorated this year.
Another milestone comes Friday, when Francis marks four weeks or 28 days of hospitalisation. St. John Paul II has the record for a hospital stay, at 55 days in 1981 when he underwent a minor surgical operation and was then treated for a cytomegalovirus infection.
Francis is on track to equal the second-longest stay, 28 days, which John Paul recorded in 1994 when he had surgery to repair his right hip joint after he fractured his right femur in a fall, according to Gemelli hospital.
The Vatican has released no photos or video of Francis since he was admitted.
The pope recorded an audio message last week to thank people for their prayers, though the weakness and breathlessness of his voice made clear just how frail he was.