Pope Francis rests in hospital as Vatican and Holy Year events continue without him

Pope Francis continues to recover from double pneumonia in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, yet Vatican events and Holy Year celebrations carry on without him. The highlight of the weekend is the homage to volunteers of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican reports that the 88-year-old pope is undergoing respiratory and physical therapy and had a quiet night. Francis, who has chronic lung issues and had part of a lung removed when he was younger, is in his fourth week in the hospital after a string of respiratory crises.

In his absence, life at the Vatican continues normally. Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrated a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica with a message from Francis urging protection of life from birth to natural death.

Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny will also represent the pope at weekend masses, such as the Holy Year Mass for volunteers.

Francis prayed in the hospital chapel on Friday and continues to receive high-flow oxygen during the day and noninvasive ventilation at night. Doctors say his condition is stable but continues to be serious, and recovery will be gradual.

Specialists indicate the extended hospital stay puts him at risk for secondary infections. While there is improvement, his condition remains precarious, and medical experts indicate that it would be best to avoid any regression.

Francis was first hospitalized on February 14 with what began as bronchitis but developed into a more serious respiratory infection.