Star Metro - Hospitalised pope stable, rested overnight: Vatican

The Argentine head of the Catholic Church was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 with bronchitis, which later developed into pneumonia in both lungs.

After a breathing crisis on Friday, the Vatican had on Saturday reported his condition was "stable", an assessment it repeated on Sunday evening.

"The pope rested well all night," the Holy See said in a typically brief update on Monday morning.

The leader of the world's almost 1.4 billion Catholics had required non-invasive mechanical ventilation -- a mask -- on Friday and Saturday, but the Vatican said Sunday this was no longer required.

He was however still receiving high-flow oxygen therapy, it said.

It added that he did not have a fever, and on Sunday morning he participated in mass, spending the rest of the day alternating rest with prayer.

A Vatican source said that with 48 hours now passed since Friday's crisis,, it appeared there had been "no further consequences" from the episode.

However, the Holy See statement added that "in view of the complexity of the clinical picture, the prognosis remains reserved".

Francis had also on Sunday received Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, and Edgar Pena Parra, a Venezuelan archbishop who is also a senior Vatican official.

The Jesuit, who has been pope since March 2013, is being treated in a special suite reserved for pontiffs on the 10th floor of the Gemelli.

Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, missed his traditional Angelus prayer for a third straight Sunday and the Vatican issued a written text instead.

In it, the pope thanked well-wishers for their prayers, saying: "I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am 'carried' and supported by all God's people. Thank you all."

F.T. Michaud--SMC