Pope Francis, who has been in hospital for 12 days battling pneumonia and other ailments, remains in a “critical but stable” condition, the Vatican has said.
The pontiff, 88, has not suffered further “acute respiratory episodes” and tests checking blood circulation “continue to be stable”.
He underwent a CT scan to monitor the pneumonia diagnosed in both lungs and the results are expected on Wednesday, according to Vatican sources. His prognosis remained guarded.
Francis was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome on 14 February after struggling to breathe and was diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection, pneumonia in both lungs and mild kidney failure.
Despite his critical condition he has been able to carry out duties, including approving canonisation for individuals who died in the early 20th century.
The sainthoods of two Venezuelan and Italian laymen were approved during a meeting in his hospital room on Monday with Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, and the Venezuelan archbishop Edgar Peña Parra. The pope also authorised the first steps towards sainthood for three 19th-century priests from Spain, Italy and Poland.
The Vatican confirmed the approvals earlier on Tuesday, a few hours after it issued a one-line statement saying the pontiff had “slept well, all night”.
Thousands of people gathered in the rain in St Peter’s Square on Monday night to pray for the pope. Similar events were held across Italy and abroad, setting off a nightly marathon of prayers.
Doctors had reported on Monday that some tests had shown “a slight improvement”. Francis was reported to be in good humour and eating normally.
Monday night’s prayers at St Peter’s were led by Parolin. “Starting this evening, we want to unite ourselves publicly to this prayer here, in his house,” Parolin said, praying that Francis “in this moment of illness and trial” would recover quickly.
Vigils have also been held outside the Gemelli, which has long been the preferred hospital for pontiffs.
Before his hospital admission, the pope had maintained a punishing work schedule, despite increasing health issues, and especially because it is the Catholic jubilee year. Last September, he carried out a 12-day tour to the Asia Pacific region, one of the few places in the world where the Catholic church is growing in terms of baptised faithful and religious vocations.
