No deterioration

Pope no longer has a fever, condition is “complex”

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(Bild: AFP/Tiziana FABI)

Following a deterioration in his health on Friday, the Pope's condition is "stable". Since Friday, the 88-year-old, who has been receiving treatment at the Gemelli Clinic in Rome since February 14, has not suffered any further respiratory crises. He has no fever and his blood values are stable. 

The Vatican announced in a bulletin published on Saturday evening that the Pope had undergone "non-invasive mechanical ventilation" and oxygen therapy. Francis continued to feed himself and do breathing exercises on Saturday. "The Holy Father remained alert and oriented at all times," it said. He devoted himself to prayer. The prognosis remains cautious, it said.

Pope's condition remains "complex"
The clinical situation of 88-year-old Francis remains "complex", the Vatican said on Saturday morning. According to the doctors, the Pope, who is suffering from bilateral pneumonia, is not out of danger. In any case, the respiratory crisis on Friday did not affect any other organs.

Francis had vomited on Friday due to respiratory cramps and his respiratory values had deteriorated abruptly, the Vatican explained in a bulletin published in the evening. He had therefore been given oxygen. At the same time, it was emphasized that the Pope had not been given artificial respiration, which would have been administered via a tube into his windpipe.

After undergoing physiotherapy on Friday morning and praying in the chapel in his apartment in the polyclinic, the Pope experienced a "crisis with bronchospasm" at around 2 p.m. on Friday, which led to vomiting and a sudden deterioration in his breathing. According to Vatican sources, it will take up to 48 hours to assess the effects of the respiratory crisis on the Pope's state of health. Doctors always point out how dangerous pneumonia is at Francis' age.

Second oldest pope in history
The pontiff has now been in hospital for longer than ever before. On March 13, it will be twelve years since the Argentinian Jorge Bergoglio was elected Pope. He was elected head of the Church in March 2013 as the successor to German Pope Benedict XVI. He is now the second oldest pope in history.

As expected, an audience on the Holy Year planned for Saturday was canceled due to his hospital stay. The Pope will again publish a text for the Angelus prayer on Sunday, as was the case on the last two Sundays. The head of the Catholic Church normally holds the prayer every Sunday at midday from the window of the Apostolic Palace with a view of St. Peter's Square.

On Saturday evening, the faithful will gather for the sixth evening in a row to pray the rosary. Due to the bad weather in Rome, prayers for the Pope will not take place in St. Peter's Square, but in St. Peter's Basilica. From Monday, the Vatican had called on the faithful to pray the rosary for Francis daily in St. Peter's Square. Prayers were said for the sick Pope all over the world.