The Vatican said Pope Francis was still in critical condition Sunday, with blood tests showing early renal failure, but he remained vigilant and “good-oriented” and attended Mass.
The Vatican said Francis has never had a respiratory crisis since Saturday night, but still receives a lot of supplemental oxygen.
Some blood tests show “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors say it is under control. The reduction in platelet count necessary for coagulation was first detected on Saturday.
“The complexity of the clinical situation, and the necessary waiting for some feedback on drug therapy, determines that the prognosis remains,” the doctor concluded.
From prayers around the world, from his hometown of Argentina to the Sunni Islamic location in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.
In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted that the Roman church leaders did not say publicly: Catholics “unityed by the bedside of their dying father.”
“Just as our Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and may be close to death,” Dolan said at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
The doctor said Francis' condition was touch and behavior, given his age, vulnerability and preexisting lung disease. His condition has recovered from speculation about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or incapacitated, and if he will quit.
Pray for the Pope in the Vatican
Frances was supposed to celebrate Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday morning and appointed deacons as part of the Vatican's one-year holy anniversary.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the organizer of the Holy Year, celebrated his mass and prepared Francis' special prayers to the homosexuals prepared by the pope.
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“Even if he was in the hospital bed, we felt Pope Francis approaching us. We felt him among us.
A pre-written message for Francis to read on Sunday, but without delivery, said he “confidently continued my stay at Gemelli Hospital, continuing the necessary treatment; rest is also part of the treatment!” Words ask him to pray for him – as he kept asking, pointing out the upcoming anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, “It is a painful and shameful moment for humanity as a whole.”
Meanwhile, in Frances’ native Argentina, Catholics pray for the Pope in Buenos Aires Cathedral, the city’s iconic obelisk was lit with “Francis, the city prays for you.”
In Cairo, the Great Imam of Al-Azhar, the home of Sunni learning, established close ties with Francis and wished him all the best.
Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb wrote in a Facebook post: “I pray to Allah, grant my dear brother Pope Francis, to recover quickly and bless him physical health and well-being so that he can continue to serve humanity.”
Elementary school students from all over Rome clamped the Gemelli Hospital with Get-Well cards, while the Italian bishop led the rosary prayers and celebrated the special masses in Italy.
The main threat to the pope is sepsis
Doctors warn that the main threat Francis faces is sepsis, a serious blood infection that can occur with pneumonia complications. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis and Francis was responding to the various drugs he was taking, the pope’s medical team said in the first in-depth update on the papacy’s condition.
Francis suffers from hypoplatelet count, a condition called thrombocytopenia or thrombocytopenia. Platelets are cellular debris that circulate in the blood, helping to form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by many factors, including side effects of drugs or infection.
Francis, who suffers from chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to the hospital on February 14 after being sent to a week of bronchitis attack on February 14.
Doctors first diagnose complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory infections, and then diagnose pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribe “absolute rest” and can use cortisone and antibiotics as well as supplemental oxygen when needed.
Francis' recent reforms show he knows he's getting older and more vulnerable
Francis made some recent decisions, which showed he was aware that he was getting older and vulnerable.
Last year, he revised the funeral that he would use after his death, simplified the ceremony to emphasize his role as a bishop and allow burial outside the Vatican to maintain his will. However, the core elements of the ceremony still exist, including three critical moments that must be observed between the Pope and his funeral: in his home, in St. Peter's Basilica and funeral substitutes.
In December, Francis created 21 new cardinals. All but one person are under 80 and are therefore eligible to vote for their successor in a conference. Their increase brought the total number of Cardinals of voting ages to 140, far exceeding the 120 limit set by St. John Paul II. But several voters are now 80 years old this year, which lowers the number.
Earlier this month, Francis decided to extend the current dean of Cardinal College, Cardinal Giovanni Battista RE, 91, instead of making room for newcomers. As depicted in the film “Conference”, the dean of the Cardinal College plays an important role in the life of the Catholic hierarchy and is a crucial figure during the transition between one pope and the next.
Francis also decided to extend the term of Argentina's juren Leonardo Sandri, 81 years old.
