Pope Francis remains critical, tests show early kidney failure: What is happening in Vatican right now

Pope Francis, 88, is fighting a complex lung infection and pneumonia.

Pope Francis remains critical as latest blood reports show kidney failure at an initial stage. The pontiff, who is already battling lung infection and double pneumonia, remains ‘alert’, Vatican officials said. The 88-year-old also attended the Mass, the officials said.

An Associated Press report citing the official statement said that the Pope is still on supplementary oxygen and is responsive. While the Vatican confirmed some blood vessels showing ‘mild kidney infection,’ there is no update on onset of sepsis. The Sunday health bulletin said that the pontiff also had low platelet count. However, the situation remains stable.

The Vatican is working as usual right now, AP reports. While there are elaborate sets of rituals in case of Pope’s death or in event of resignation, the situation is bit different when it comes to illness.

Even though the Pope is in hospital, he remains the leader and in-charge of the Catholic Church. Still, Pope Francis’ prolonged stay at the hospital is giving rise to lot of speculations around what happens to the church leadership now. Previously, Pope Benedict XVI had resigned from the post. Last time Pope Francis remained in hospital for this long was in 2021 when he was admitted for 10 days for a colon surgery.

Even before he was admitted, the Pope used to delegate daily operations to a team. So even is the Vatican Curia Francis is in leadership position, the day-to-day work is done by a whether the Pope is in the Apostolic Palace or not or whether the pontiff is conscious or not.