Pope Francis had a quiet night after his latest respiratory crisis

Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized for 16 days due to double pneumonia, spent a peaceful night, the Vatican reported on Saturday. This update came a day after the 88-year-old Argentine Jesuit experienced an isolated respiratory crisis.

"The night passed calmly. The pope is resting," the Holy See said in a brief statement.

The spiritual leader of 1.4 billion Catholics has been hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital since February 14 for bronchitis, which later developed into double pneumonia.

After several days of improvement, which led a Vatican source to confirm on Friday at noon that he had emerged from critical condition, the pope experienced a new respiratory crisis just a few hours later.

"The Holy Father presented an isolated bronchospasm crisis," which led to "a sudden worsening of the respiratory condition," the Holy See said Friday night.

According to the latest medical report, the pope responded well to the intervention of doctors, who applied "non-invasive mechanical ventilation," and remained "alert and oriented" throughout the procedure.

A Vatican source stated that doctors will need "between 24 and 48 hours" to assess the impact of this crisis on Francis' health, adding that his prognosis remains "guarded."

This hospitalization, the fourth and longest since 2021, has raised concerns about the health issues that have weakened the pope in recent years, including surgeries on his colon and abdomen, as well as difficulties with walking.

Last Saturday, Jorge Bergoglio experienced a severe asthma attack and even required a blood transfusion.

Rosary marathon

Since his admission to Gemelli, Pope Francis has received messages of support from around the world, with prayers for his health pouring in from all around the globe.

In Vatican St. Peter's Square, hundreds of faithful gathered on Friday for the fifth consecutive night as part of the "marathon" of rosaries organized by the Holy See to pray for the pope's swift recovery.

"Under the maternal gaze of Mary, we pray for the health of Pope Francis," said Argentine Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, who led the prayer of the "Sorrowful Mysteries" in an atmosphere of reflection and solemnity.

"The Holy Father would like our prayer to be not only for him, but also for all those who, in this particular dramatic and painful moment in the world, carry the hard weight of war, poverty and illness," he added.

Unlike his hospitalization in July 2021, when he stepped out onto a balcony of Gemelli hospital to pray the Angelus just days after his admission, the pope has yet to make any public appearances during this stay.

All signs suggest that moment may be a long way off. On Saturday, Pope Francis canceled his Jubilee audience and will also not participate in the Mass on Ash Wednesday, March 5, an important ceremony for Catholics that marks the beginning of Lent.