The Vatican said Pope Francis had spent a night in the hospital without any new complications on Friday morning.

“As in the previous days, the night was quiet, and the pope is now resting,” a spokesman said.

The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church has been in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for two weeks, where he is being treated for severe bilateral pneumonia.

In recent days, Francis’ condition had slightly improved, according to official reports. Sources close to him revealed in the evening that he was “out of the most critical phase.”

The pope is receiving medication along with physiotherapy aimed at easing the respiratory infection; he is repeatedly being provided with extra oxygen through a face mask or a nasal tube.

This therapy is evidently effective, as the pope has had no breathing difficulties since the weekend, according to official reports. His blood values have also improved.

However, a discharge is not expected soon.

“Given the complexity of the medical condition, further days of clinical stability are required,” an evening bulletin stated.

The pontiff has now been in hospital for longer than ever. Doctors still emphasise how dangerous such severe pneumonia is given the pope’s age.

He was elected as the head of the church in March 2013, succeeding the German Benedict XVI. Francis is now the second oldest pope in history.

(dpa/NAN)