Pope Francis remains in “critical” condition after being hospitalized on Friday, February 14, for bronchitis.

Although the Vatican insists that the pope remains alert and “well-oriented,” blood tests have shown early kidney failure.

It was reported that Pope Francis suffered an “asthma-like respiratory crisis of prolonged intensity” yesterday, but recent reports say he “hasn’t experienced any further respiratory crisis” since then.

Pope Francis’s condition remained “critical” on Sunday as blood test results showed signs of early kidney failure.

In the latest update shared by the Vatican, the 88-year-old pontiff hasn’t experienced any more “respiratory crises” since Saturday evening after he previously suffered an “asthma-like respiratory crisis.”

In its latest update, the Vatican said the pope was given two units of concentrated red blood cells “with benefit and an increase in hemoglobin level.”

“Thrombocytopenia has remained stable; however, some blood tests show an initial, slight, renal insufficiency, which is under control,” the Vatican said. “High-flow oxygen therapy through the nasal cannula is continuing.”

Officials said Francis was “vigilant and then well-oriented” and had participated in Sunday Mass from his hospital room.

“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the time needed for the pharmacological therapies to produce results, mean that the prognosis remains uncertain,” they added.

Francis has been hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome for a case of bronchitis, which he had been fighting since early February.

He was diagnosed with pneumonia on Tuesday and has not had any visitors except from his medical team, security, and his closest aides.

In a written prayer released on Sunday, the pontiff said he was “confidently continuing” his hospitalization, adding that “rest is also part of the therapy!”

“I sincerely thank the doctors and health workers of this hospital for the attention they are showing me and the dedication with which they carry out their service among the sick,” he said.

Francis has seemingly not stopped working despite being hospitalized for nine days now.

Last week, the Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, priest of the only Roman Catholic parish in Gaza, said Francis had continued to call him every night.

The pair had maintained constant communication as a result of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

Also, in a written address by the Vatican for his Angelus address, the pope said he renewed his “solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people” and invited congregants “to remember the victims of all armed conflicts and to pray for the gift of peace in Palestine, Israel, and throughout the Middle East, in Myanmar, in Kivu, and in Sudan.”

He had earlier joined a gathering of deacons, where he emphasized the need for forgiveness, saying that “a world that feels nothing but hatred towards its adversaries is a world without hope and without a future, doomed to endless war, divisions, and vendettas.”

As prayers continue to pour in for him, speculations are rife about the possibility of the pope passing away.

According to the New York Post, Cardinal Timothy Dolan teased that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”

“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Pope Francis has been dealing with various health issues in the past. At age 21, he had a small part of his right lung removed due to an illness.

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said that the only matters of concern at the moment are the pope’s health, his recovery, and his return to the Vatican, going on to say public outcry for him to resign is fine.

When asked about the situation of things over here, he replied, “Honestly, I am not aware of such maneuvers, and in any case, I try to stay out of them.”

He continued, “On the other hand, I think it is quite normal in these situations for unverified rumors to circulate or for misplaced comments to be made—this is certainly not the first time. However, I do not believe there is any particular movement in this regard, and so far, I have not heard anything of the sort.”

Cardinal Parolin then noted, “They have done so on several occasions in recent years, but this can only ever be a completely free decision of the Holy Father in order for it to be valid.”

“I do not perceive a pre-conclave atmosphere, nor do I see more discussion about a possible successor than there was a year ago—nothing out of the ordinary,” the cardinal added. “What matters to me is that the Pope’s body has responded well to the current therapy.”