Pope Francis had another quiet night in hospital, the Vatican said in its Friday morning update, as his recovery from bilateral pneumonia continues.
The 88-year-old has now spent four weeks in hospital, much of it with an uncertain prognosis, but he is no longer in imminent danger of death. He first entered Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 and remains under medical supervision.
It means he will match the second-longest stay for a modern pope—28 days, set by St. John Paul II in 1994 following hip surgery. John Paul II holds the record at 55 days for a hospital stay in 1981 after surgery and treatment for an infection.
The pope has had increasingly positive medical updates in recent days. A chest X-ray confirmed improvements, the Vatican had said on Wednesday.
Thursday marked the 12th anniversary of his election as the 266th pope. It was a public holiday at the Vatican and Masses were held in his honor at churches in Rome.
The Vatican has yet to release any photos or videos of Francis since his admission. Last week, he recorded an audio message thanking people for their prayers, though his frail voice and breathlessness underscored his weakened state.
This is a developing story and more information will be added shortly.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
