VATICAN CITY, Holy See — Pope Francis spent a quiet night in the hospital as he continues to respond positively to treatment for pneumonia, the Vatican reported on Sunday.

Stable Condition, No Fever

“The night was calm, the pope is resting,” the Vatican said in its morning update, referring to the 88-year-old pontiff, who has been in a special papal suite at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14.

Despite suffering from several respiratory crises since his admission, the Vatican confirmed that he has had no new episodes for several days, describing his condition as “stable”.

Gradual Recovery and Medical Observations

On Saturday, the Vatican stated that Francis was responding well to treatment, with “a gradual, slight improvement” in his health.

Though he does not have a fever, doctors are closely monitoring his progress and want to see the same positive results “in the coming days” before providing a full prognosis.

Longest and Most Serious Hospitalization

Pope Francis has faced several health challenges in recent years, including colon surgery in 2021 and a hernia operation in 2023. However, his current hospitalization is the longest and most serious of his papacy.

Angelus Prayer to Be Delivered in Writing Again

The leader of 1.4 billion Catholics has previously appeared on a hospital balcony during past stays at Gemelli to deliver his weekly Sunday Angelus prayer.

However, due to his current condition, he has missed the last three Angelus prayers and is expected to miss a fourth this Sunday. The Vatican press office announced that the Angelus would once again be published as a letter at noon, similar to previous weeks.