VATICAN CITY, March 8, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Pope Francis spent a quiet night in
hospital, the Vatican said Saturday, as the 88-year-old head of the Catholic
Church battles pneumonia.

"The night was calm, the pope is resting", it said in its brief morning
update on the Argentine, who has been in a special papal suite at Rome's
Gemelli hospital since February 14.

The Argentine pontiff has suffered several respiratory crises since his
admission, most recently on Monday, but for several days now the Vatican has
described his condition as "stable".

On Thursday Francis released an audio message -- the first time the world has
heard his voice since his admission to hospital -- in which he thanked those
praying for his recovery.

The pontiff sounded weak and breathless despite marking three weeks of
treatment in hospital.

He was still in a "complex clinical condition" so "the prognosis remains
guarded", the Vatican said Friday.