# Pope Francis now eating solid foods, showing 'slight gradual improvements,' Vatican says

Situation remains 'complex,' Vatican says

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Published: March 9, 2025 5:44am EDT  
| Updated: March 10, 2025 10:11am EDT

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Roman Catholic  is stable and continues to undergo treatments, including nighttime non-invasive mechanical ventilation and daytime high-flow oxygen nasal cannulas, the Holy Press Office announced on Monday.

The pope continued his therapy and prescribed diet, which now includes eating solid foods, the Vatican said in an update on Sunday.

The Vatican said he did respiratory and motor physiotherapy and his condition "appears stable, with slight gradual improvements."

However, the overall situation remains complex, prompting doctors to maintain a guarded prognosis, the Vatican also warned in its update.

On Sunday, the Vatican said the pope was responding well to treatment and had shown a "gradual, mild improvement" in recent days as he remains in the hospital recovering from double pneumonia.





The night was quiet; the Pope is resting, the Vatican said in its earlier statement.

Francis, 88, was admitted to Rome's  on Feb. 14 after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened. Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and subsequently the onset of pneumonia in both lungs.

It was the fourth Sunday in a row that the pope did not appear for his weekly noon blessing.

The pope's condition has remained stable, as he has had no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors said. The doctors said that his stability "as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy."

This marks the first time doctors have reported that Francis, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, was responding well to the prescribed therapies since he was admitted to the hospital more than three weeks ago.



Despite Francis' absence, the Vatican’s daily operations continued alongside celebrations of its Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century Jubilee that brings pilgrims from around the world to Rome. The Holy Year is celebrating volunteers this weekend, and many are extending their pilgrimage to pray for Francis outside the hospital.







Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny will preside over the  on Sunday for the volunteers.

_The Associated Press contributed to this report._
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