"Further improved"

Doctors: Pope Francis is already working again

(Bild: AFP/Filippo MONTEFORTE)

According to official reports, Pope Francis is continuing on the road to recovery. The 88-year-old, who is suffering from severe pneumonia, has received oxygen physiotherapy. However, an early release is ruled out.

"The Holy Father's clinical condition has continued to improve today," according to the daily bulletin from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, which the Vatican published in the evening. He is being supplied with oxygen via a breathing mask.

Nevertheless, he is not expected to be discharged soon. "In view of the complexity of the clinical picture, further days of clinical stability are required," the statement said. The head of the Catholic Church was admitted to the university hospital two weeks ago on Friday. The pontiff has now been in hospital for longer than ever before.

Pope to return to work
On March 13 - in two weeks' time - it will be twelve years since the Argentinian was elected Pope. There is speculation that Francis will definitely want to be back in the Vatican by then. On Thursday, he received physiotherapy twice. In the afternoon, the Pope received communion in his wing on the tenth floor of the hospital, prayed and then worked.

However, doctors are still pointing out how dangerous such severe pneumonia is at Francis' age. The Director General of the Gemelli Clinical Foundation, Marco Elefanti, described the Pope's state of health in a speech as "actually quite critical". Although there is a "slightly positive development that makes us a little more optimistic, but always within a general framework as we have described it."

Due to his breathing problems, the Pope has been given several high doses of additional oxygen via a tube through his nose in recent days. Apparently, this therapy is working: According to official reports, he has not had any more major bouts of breathlessness since the weekend. His blood values have also improved. He is also receiving a range of medication, including cortisone. He has not been seen by the public since he was admitted in mid-February.

No date yet for consistory
In the meantime, the announcement that Francis intends to convene a consistory, i.e. a meeting of the cardinals, has given rise to speculation. This fueled rumours of a resignation, as the German Pope Benedict XVI had surprisingly renounced his office at such a consistory in February 2013. The Vatican has repeatedly contradicted all speculation about Francis' thoughts of resigning. A date for the consistory has not yet been set.