Pope Francis "rested well" but misses the beginning of Lent

(AFP) Pope Francis "rested well overnight" but will miss the start of Catholic Lent this Ash Wednesday because of the double pneumonia that has kept him hospitalized in Rome since Feb. 14.

In its previous bulletin issued Tuesday night, the Holy See noted that Francis' condition was "stable" and that he "did not have episodes of respiratory failure or bronchospasm," as was the case the day before.

However, his vital prognosis still remains "reserved" and doctors made him wear an oxygen mask during the night.

On his 20th day of admission to Rome's Gemelli hospital, the leader of the Catholic Church will not take part in the Ash Wednesday celebrations that begin Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter.

The pope usually presides at Mass on this day, when parishioners receive ash crosses on their foreheads. The ash traditionally comes from the burning of the Palm Sunday palms from the previous year's Easter celebrations.

The Argentine pontiff had already missed the Ash Wednesday celebrations in 2022 due to acute knee pain.

This time he will also be unable to participate in the traditional "spiritual exercises," a retreat that takes place every year at the beginning of Lent with the Curia, staff and administration of the Holy See.

It is the longest hospitalization of Francis' pontificate, who has not appeared in public since his admission and has missed the Angelus prayer on the last three Sundays, a first since his election in 2013.

The pope's medical team has so far made no pronouncement on how much longer he will remain hospitalized or how long he will need to convalesce if he manages to overcome the illness, which is causing concern among the faithful.