Pope Francis live health updates as Vatican confirm critical condition

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live updates on Pope Francis as 88-year-old pontiff remains in a critical condition at Rome's Gemelli hospital.

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Published: 08:58 GMT, 24 February 2025 | Updated: 10:10 GMT, 24 February 2025

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Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, remains in a critical condition with kidney failure, the Vatican has announced.

The 88-year-old pontiff has received treatment for pneumonia and a complex lung infection for 11 days at Rome's Gemelli hospital earlier this month and warned close confidantes he may not survive.

Appointed pope in 2013, Francis has led a relatively progressive but controversial papacy that has seen women accede to key roles, the recognition of LGBT + rights and the Vatican begin to address Catholic Church child abuse scandals.

Live updates below

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi led a prayer for Pope Francis' health at the Church of San Domenico in Bologna, Italy, yesterday.

He said at the service that over the next few days, Italian churches 'will gather in so many ways always in the sweet company of Mary to intercede for the Pope's recovery'.

His funeral would most likely be in St Peter's Square, Vatican City, around four to six days after his death. It would be led by the dean of senior church committee the College of Cardinals.

The pope is then normally buried in the crypt underneath St Peter's Basilica, named the Vatican Grottoes, along with the nearly 100 other popes laid to rest there.

But Francis announced in 2023 he would be buried in the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome, one of the city's four papal basilicas and a personal favourite of Francis who goes there often.

Seven other popes are buried there - but Francis would be the first pope in a century to be buried outside the Vatican.

Popes have previously been buried in three coffins, nested inside each other - one cypress, one zinc and one elm.

Francis, in keeping with his desire to simplify his rites, would be buried in one coffin, made from wood and zinc.

He would also likely be buried with what is known as his 'rogito', an 1,000-word document about his life and reign.

Pictured below is the funeral of Francis' predecessor Benedict XVI, who died in 2022:

Francis' cousin Carla Rabezzana (pictured below), 93, said yesterday she was very concerned for her relative's health.

Ms Rabezzana, who still lives in the family's hometown of Portacomaro, near Turin, said: 'We are all extremely worried.

'We hope he will feel better soon and get over this bad moment, I am very agitated.'

She added: 'We are all praying for him to get out of hospital.'

The pope's cousin added that the local church had been full of worshippers.

He paid a private visit to relatives in the town three years ago (pictured) and met suppporters in in Asti in the Piedmont region his family's hometown is in. He presided over a mass at the city's cathedral and received honorary citizenship of Asti.

The pope's death would be followed by nine days of mourning, a period known as the Novendiale, which originated in Ancient Rome. Italy would also go into national mourning.

His body would be displayed in St Peter's Basilica, after it was blessed and dressed in papal vestments, for his supporters to come to pay their respects.

Francis requested, last year, simplified rites - instead of his body being displayed on a raised platform, he would lie in an open coffin.

During this time, daily prayer and Requiem Masses will be held at the Basilica and across the globe.

The Vatican will enter a period named sede vacante, meaning 'the seat is vacant'. It marks the time when senior church committee, the College of Cardinals, temporarily rules the church. It cannot make major decisions in this time.

In the past, many popes were embalmed and had their organs removed before being buried but these practices have largely been left behind now. A church near the Trevi Fountain in the Italian capital has the hearts of more than 20 popes in marble urns, as holy relics.

Below are pictures of several masses held in Mexico City, Mexico, yesterday, to pray for the health of the Pope:

Anxious supporters of Francis from around the world have been praying for his full recovery over the course of his 11 days in hospital.

He spoke from his hospital bed yesterday to thank his doctors and all the people sending 'prayers of comfort' from across the globe.

He said: 'I am confidently continuing my hospitalisation at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment - and rest is also part of the therapy!'

He added: 'In recent days I have received many messages of affection and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children.

'Thank you for this closeness and for the prayers of comfort I have received from all over the world! I entrust you all to the intercession of Mary and I ask you to pray for me.'

Our reporter has more - and pictures have poured in from across the world of Francis' supporters making the 'prayers of comfort' he so valued. Here are some from outside the Gemelli hospital in Rome:

The first thing to happen when a pope dies is the confirmation of their death. A senior Vatican official called the camerlengo visits the pope's body in their private chapel and tries to rouse him, confirming the death when the pontiff does not respond.

This symbolic, ceremonial process would, these days, tend to follow a standard medical confirmation of death.

When the pope does not respond to the camerlengo, their signet ring - used as a seal for official documents - is destroyed, marking the end of their papacy. The papal apartments are closed off.

The camerlengo then tells a senior church committee called the College of Cardinals the pope has died - before the Vatican announces it to the world media.

The current camerlengo is Irish Cardinal Kevin Farrell (pictured).

With Francis experiencing the longest hospitalisation of his papacy, the Catholic world is preparing for the worst.

Last year, he approved a more stripped back version of a papal funeral for himself, getting rid of some of the more archaic rituals that traditionally come with such an event.

But still, the series of events that would happen if the Pope were to pass away is one that has been honed over centuries, with some aspects dating back to Ancient Rome.

And at the end, there would be an election to select the new Catholic leader - just like in the Oscar-nominated film Conclave (pictured, Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence) - watching over the spiritual life of a billion people around the world.

We will break the process down into four parts: his death, burial and mourning period, and the election that follows.

The Vatican's one-line update from this morning, saying that the Pope was resting after a good night's sleep, did not mention if Francis had woken up.

Late last night, doctors reported that blood tests showed early kidney failure - but it was under control.

He remains in critical condition but has not experienced any further respiratory crises since Saturday when he had a prolonged asthmatic attack.

He was receiving high amounts of oxygen and yesterday, he was alert, responsive and attended Mass.

Doctors have said the pontiff's condition is touch and go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing chronic lung disease.

They have warned that the main threat he faces is sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can happen as a complication of pneumonia.

But the Vatican itself has not yet mentioned sepsis in its regular updates on his condition.

Francis spent ten days at the Gemelli hospital in 2021 after he had part of his colon removed.

Pictures from this morning show the enormous number of gifts well wishers have laid outside the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where the Pope is being treated.

One sign reads, 'Get well soon, Pope Francis', and is surrounded by helium balloons, with some red and heart-shapped and others displaying the pontiff's face on them.

Candles, flowers, portraits of the Pope and other messages have been placed at the feet of the statue of late Pope John Paul II, who died in 2005, outside the hospital.

Francis had a good night last night, according to an update from the Vatican this morning, and is resting after he was 'well oriented' on Sunday and attended Mass.

'The night passed well, the pope slept and is resting', the statement said.

Our reporter has more in our latest coverage of the Pope's ongoing health crisis:

Hello and welcome to MailOnline's live coverage as Pope Francis remains in critical condition and is suffering early kidney failure in hospital, according to the Vatican's latest announcement.

The 88-year-old pontiff has been receiving treatment for pneumonia and a complex lung infection for 11 days at Rome's Gemelli hospital since being admitted with breathing difficulties on February 14.

It makes this the longest hospitalisation of his papacy, since he became leader of the worldwide Catholic Church since 2013.

Stick with us as we bring you the latest updates from this breaking news story.

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