The Pope attended Mass with his carers on Sunday before returning to his hospital bed as his condition has started to stabilise. Italian press reports said Pope Francis “alternated rest with prayer”, while the Vatican said he no longer required the use of mechanical ventilation to breathe.

The mass followed a similar service on Tuesday evening at the church of the Argentine community in Rome, reflecting the global concern for Francis, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013

With Pope Francis remaining in critical condition fighting a complex respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia, the cardinals and curial officials in Rome have organized a rosary and special Mass for the pontiff.

The statement also said the Holy Father “continues to be alert and well oriented” and is still receiving oxygen therapy “at high flows” through his nose.

Day of prayer announced and organized by the Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See in Rome, according to Vatican News.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Many people around the world are concerned about Pope Francis’ health after he was checked into the hospital several weeks ago. In a show of support, the Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in Rapid City is holding a mass for the Pope Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

The Argentine pope, a known workaholic who keeps up a grueling pace despite his many ailments, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Friday after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened. It was his fourth hospitalization since his 2013 election and raised questions about his increasingly precarious health.

As the eyes of the world were on Rome, 40 deacons and their wives from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles were caught up in last-minute changes to Vatican planning while on pilgrimage. The deacons’ Feb. 18-March 1 pilgrimage for the Jubilee of Deacons in Rome included stops in Assisi,