Pope Francis waves from a balcony, on the day he delivers his “Urbi et Orbi” (To the city and the world) message at St. Peter’s Square, on Easter Sunday, at the Vatican, March 31, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Yara Nardi

i24 News – The Vatican announced on Sunday that Pope Francis’ health condition “continues to be critical” after he suffered a severe respiratory crisis requiring the administration of high-flow oxygen.

The 88-year-old pontiff, who has been hospitalized since February 14 at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome for double pneumonia, also received blood transfusions due to thrombocytopenia associated with anemia. The pope is still not out of danger, the Vatican’s daily medical bulletin said on Saturday, adding that Francis remains alert and spent the day in a chair, even though he suffered more than the day before. On Sunday morning, the Vatican said he had a “peaceful night.”

The pope, who underwent several major surgical procedures in 2021 and 2023, continues to maintain a busy schedule despite his recurring health problems, including hip and knee pain that forces him to use a wheelchair.