Prayer in St. Peter's Square

Concern for Pope: Vatican publishes CT scan results

(Bild: APA/AFP )

Worldwide concern for Pope Francis: the head of the Roman Catholic Church has now been receiving treatment in Rome's Gemelli Hospital for twelve days. He is suffering from complex respiratory and lung infections. On Tuesday evening, the 88-year-old underwent a CT scan for radiological monitoring of his bilateral pneumonia. The Vatican presented the results on Wednesday evening. 

According to the Vatican, his state of health has continued to improve slightly. Francis' kidneys, which have been in the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome since February 14, are now working fully again, according to a statement from the Vatican on Wednesday evening. However, the pneumonia persists and the Pope is still being administered oxygen.

"Normal development"
A new computer tomography of the chest shows a "normal development" of the pneumonia. However, the "slight renal insufficiency" that had occurred in the past few days had regressed. The Pope devoted himself to work on Wednesday. Despite the slight improvement, the prognosis remains cautious.

Pope appoints four bishops
In the meantime, the Pope continued his work. According to Vatican statements on Wednesday, he appointed four bishops. The Holy See also announced that the Pope had appointed the "Commissio de donationibus pro Sancta Sede" on February 11, 2025 (i.e. before his admission to Gemelli Hospital), whose specific task is to "encourage donations from the faithful, bishops' conferences and other potential benefactors through appropriate campaigns".

Prayer of the Rosary for the sick Pope in St. Peter's Square
On Tuesday evening, for the second evening in a row, the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray the Rosary, led by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines. From Monday, the Vatican had called the faithful to pray the rosary daily for Francis in St. Peter's Square. The faithful will also pray for the ailing Francis in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday evening. The prayer will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.

(Bild: AP)

Telephone call with Gaza parish
Despite his illness, the Pope continued to telephone the parish in Gaza, as he had done every afternoon since the outbreak of the war. "As the parish of the Holy Family in Gaza, we are always happy and moved to hear his voice. It gives us so much comfort. It is a great joy, even in the midst of so many trials, to know that the Holy Father, despite his delicate health condition, continues to think and pray for peace in Gaza," said the parish priest of Gaza, Father Gabriel Romanelli, in a video sent to the Italian news agency ANSA.

Meanwhile, the beatification of the Italian policeman Salvo D'Acquisto, who was murdered by Nazis, is drawing closer. The young carabiniere saved 22 civilians from being shot in 1943 by voluntarily going to his death for them. Pope Francis has now recognized D'Acquisto's actions as an exemplary "gift of life", as the Vatican announced. This brings the beatification of the Neapolitan closer.