Pope beats back speculation of imminent death or conclave as he continues pneumonia recovery

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis continued his slow recovery from double pneumonia on Thursday, beating back speculation of an imminent death, resignation or conclave and signaling that he was still very much in charge, albeit in a weakened state.

The 88-year-old pope once again slept well during the night at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, had breakfast and resumed his therapy Thursday morning in good spirits, the Vatican said. The results of more medical tests were expected later Thursday.

Doctors on Wednesday reported further slight improvements in his clinical condition as his hospital stay neared the two-week mark on Friday. They said the kidney insufficiency that had been detected in recent days had receded, blood tests showed a slight improvement and a chest CT scan showed that his complex lung infection was taking the “normal evolution” as it is being treated.

The prognosis remained guarded, however. The pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, is still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen and respiratory physiotherapy to help his lungs expel fluid. But he hasn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday, the Vatican said.

Upcoming calendar in question

Nevertheless, his near-term upcoming calendar of events was being changed: The Vatican cancelled a Holy Year audience scheduled for Saturday, and it remained to be seen if Francis would skip his Sunday noon blessing for the third week in a row. Longer term, Ash Wednesday loomed on the horizon March 5, the start of the church's Lenten season leading up to Holy Week and Easter, which this year falls on April 20.

In past years, when Francis has battled bronchitis and influenza in winter, he has had to cut back his participation in Ash Wednesday and Holy Week events, which call for the pope to be outdoors in the cold leading services, participating in processions and presiding over prayers in the solemn period in which the faithful commemorate Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.

Beyond that, Francis has a few major events coming up that he presumably would hope to keep if well enough. On April 27, he is due to canonize Carlo Acutis, considered to be the first millennial and digital-era saint. The Vatican considers the Italian teenager, who died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, as an inspiring role model for today's young Catholics.

Another important appointment is the May 24 commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianity's first ecumenical council. The spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew I, has invited Francis to join him in what is today's Iznik, Turkey to commemorate the anniversary, which he has called an important sign of reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Before he got sick, Francis said he hoped to go, though the Vatican hasn't confirmed the trip.

Prayers nevertheless continue

Prayers for his heath continued to pour in from near and far, with a group of Mexican pilgrims in Rome for the Holy Year taking a detour to pray for Francis outside the Gemelli hospital.

Lili Iparea Fernandez, from La Cruz, Mexico, had come to Rome with plans to attend Francis' Wednesday general audience this week, but it was cancelled.

“However, we firmly believe that the pope will recover because he is a very strong man,” she said Thursday outside Gemelli. “So I invite everyone to believe firmly, with certainty, with confidence, with hope that the pope is going to be well.”

The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, presided Wednesday night over what has now become a nightly appointment in St. Peter’s Square, the 9 p.m. Rosary prayer.

As is now popularly known thanks to the Oscar-nominated film "Conclave," the 91-year-old Re would have a key role in any papal death or conclave, called to preside over the funeral and organize the secret balloting in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. Francis recently extended Re's term, keeping him on in the important job rather than naming someone new.

But on Wednesday night, Re was merely one of the Catholic Church’s most senior cardinals, an important point of reference for the men who lead the church, praying for Francis’ speedy recovery.

Francis keeps governing while being treated

By now a certain rhythm appears to have emerged from the Vatican’s updates: The pope receives treatments in the morning, including respiratory physiotherapy, and resumes work in the afternoon from his hospital room.

The Vatican said Wednesday that he had appointed four new bishops and approved the creation of a new fundraising initiative to encourage donations to the Holy See, which has been enduring a financial crisis for years.

Francis likely approved the bishop appointments a while back and the new norms for the fundraising entity were approved Feb. 11, before he was hospitalized. But the announcements made them official and suggested Francis was still very much in charge and governing.

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