Pope Francis no longer needs ventilation, is stable, Vatican says

The pope, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 with a respiratory infection that degenerated into double pneumonia

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A woman takes a picture of a wax statue of Pope Francis, as he continues his hospitalisation, in Rome, Italy on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:21pm, 2 Mar 2025Updated: 2:21am, 3 Mar 2025

Pope Francis remained stable through the day on Sunday and no longer required the use of mechanical ventilation to breathe, the Vatican said, in a sign of progress as the 88-year-old pontiff battles double pneumonia.

Francis has been in Rome’s Gemelli hospital for more than two weeks. He was admitted on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection that triggered other complications.

“The clinical conditions of the Holy Father have remained stable throughout the day,” said the latest detailed update about the pontiff’s condition on Sunday.

The pope, it said, no longer needed the use of what the Vatican has called “non-invasive mechanical ventilation” but was continuing to receive oxygen via a small tube under his nose.

The statement said the pope had not had a fever on Sunday. It said doctors were keeping his prognosis as “guarded” due to “the complexity of the clinical picture”, meaning the pope is not out of danger.

The pope, who is spending his 17th night in hospital, met earlier on Sunday with two Vatican officials and offered thanks to well-wishers for their prayers and support in a written message.

“I would like to thank you for the prayers,” the pope said in a note released by the Vatican in place of his usual Sunday prayer with pilgrims, which the pope was not able to lead for the third week running.