Pope Francis shows slight improvement and resumes some work, Vatican says

Pope Francis shows slight improvement in health, resumes work activities, and maintains contact with parish in Gaza.

Pope Francis showed a slight improvement in laboratory tests Monday (February 24, 2025) and resumed some work activities, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began, the Vatican said.

The Vatican’s evening bulletin was more upbeat than in recent days. It said the 88-year-old Francis. suffering from pneumonia in both lungs, hadn’t had any more respiratory crises. The slight kidney insufficiency detected on Sunday (February 23, 2025) was of no concern. He is continuing to receive supplemental oxygen and doctors say his prognosis remains guarded.

He received the Eucharist in the morning and resumed working in the afternoon.

“In the evening he called the parish priest of the Gaza parish to express his fatherly closeness,” the statement said.

Earlier Monday (February 24, 2025), the Vatican had announced the start of nighttime prayers for the pope's health in St. Peter's Square, and invited Romans and others to join in, as he battles a complex lung infection and complications. The Vatican No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, planned to lead the first prayer on Monday (February 24, 2025) evening.

Pope Francis, who has double pneumonia and the early stages of kidney insufficiency, was awake and in good spirits Monday (February 24, 2025). He was not in pain and was not receiving artificial nutrition, the Vatican said.

“The night passed well, the pope slept and is resting,” it said.