Pope reaches one-week mark in hospital for pneumonia

Pope Francis spent another night without incident, the Vatican said on Friday, marking a week in the hospital for the 88-year-old pontiff suffering from pneumonia in both lungs.

"The night went well, this morning Pope Francis got up and had breakfast," the Vatican said in a regular morning update.

It was the latest in a series of incrementally positive updates in recent days from the Vatican, which has regularly been publishing information -- however modest -- about the Argentine pope's state of health.

Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital last Friday with bronchitis, but it later developed into pneumonia in both lungs, sparking widespread alarm.

But the Vatican said Thursday he continued to not have a fever and his "hemodynamic (blood flow) parameters continue to be stable".

Vatican sources have said the pope continues to keep up with his correspondence and has been working with his collaborators.

Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, the head of Italy's bishops conference, expressed confidence Thursday that the pope was "on the right path".

"The fact that the pope had breakfast, read the newspapers, received people, means that we are on the right path to a full recovery, which we hope will happen soon," Zuppi said.

With instructions from doctors for "absolute rest", the former Jorge Bergoglio had cancelled his engagements for the week, including an audience on Saturday and mass on Sunday at St Peter's Basilica.

Still unknown, however, is whether the pope could lead the traditional Angelus prayer midday Sunday (1100 GMT) from the Gemelli balcony, as he has done during previous spells at the hospital.

Last Sunday, the Vatican published an Angelus that was written, but not read, by the pope.

Candles, photos

During his hospitalisation, some Catholic faithful have set up candles and photos of the pope in front of a statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli hospital.

The vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, has called on all parishes within the capital to pray for Francis's recovery.

But despite his diagnosis, the pope has been in good spirits, a Vatican spokesman said earlier this week.

One high-profile visitor was Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who after her 20-minute visit Wednesday, reported him "alert" and even joking.

"He hasn't lost his proverbial sense of humour," said the far-right leader.

Francis, who had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man, has been plagued by health issues in recent years, including multiple bouts of bronchitis, hip and knee pain and colon and hernia surgery.

His current hospital stay is his fourth to the Gemelli since 2021.