Elisabetta Piqué, an Argentinian journalist and friend of Pope Francis, reported that he has no plans to step down as Pope despite his declining health condition.
Despite experiencing two episodes of respiratory failure in the ICU, Pope Francis has no plans to resign, Piqué said.
This is as the Vatican assured that Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a former vicar of Rome, will represent Francis at this week’s Ash Wednesday Lent ritual in Rome.
Francis has been in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for almost four weeks.
He was initially hospitalized on February 14 with bronchitis that developed into pneumonia in both lungs.
The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis had suffered “two episodes of acute respiratory failure.”
It attributed the failure to a “significant endobronchial mucus accumulation” and the resulting constriction of the airways.
The pope had two bronchoscopies, during which physicians cleared a blockage of secretions.
In the afternoon, an oxygen mask was administered to Francis to assist him in breathing.
The Vatican stated that Pope Francis was conscious and collaborated during the procedure.
