Pope Francis will not read Sunday prayers, Vatican says

Pope Francis is still in need of breathing assistance using various types of ventilation, according to Vatican sources. While the pope is not actively moving around the halls of Gemelli Hospital in Rome, he is able to move to some extent. Additionally, sources from the Vatican have confirmed that the pope is consuming solid food and does not require assisted feeding.

Yesterday, Pope Francis recorded a message expressing gratitude to those who have been praying for his recovery. Vatican sources noted that the recording was a challenging task for him, as the noise from his oxygen machine could be heard in the audio.

“We could hear yesterday that he was receiving oxygen through the nose during the audio recording, clearly indicating that he won’t be able to read the Angelus,” Vatican sources revealed to Fox News.

As the pope enters his fourth week at Gemelli Hospital, the path to his recovery remains uncertain. Doctors treating the 88-year-old pontiff are reportedly waiting for more stability in his condition before issuing another update to the public.

Dr. Claudio Santini, head of internal medicine at Grassi Hospital, expressed concern over the lack of updates from the Vatican indicating an improvement in the pope’s condition. “Let us consider that the Pope likely suffers from a chronic respiratory condition that has recently rendered him partially disabled. Now, bilateral pneumonia has further complicated the situation,” Dr. Santini stated.

The pope’s medical history includes the removal of part of his lung at the age of 21 due to pleurisy, an inflammation of the lung membranes. Currently, Vatican sources confirm that he is undergoing therapy for bilateral pneumonia.

While oxygen therapy has been beneficial for Pope Francis thus far, Dr. Santini cautioned against relying solely on it. He emphasized that while such therapies are necessary, they impose significant stress on the patient and can eventually affect other vital systems.

Catholics worldwide have been offering prayers for Pope Francis, who was unable to preside over Ash Wednesday mass earlier this week due to his health challenges. Instead, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis read the pope’s homily at Rome’s Santa Sabrina Basilica.

In his homily, the pope underscored the significance of ashes and the act of receiving them. “We bow our heads to receive the ashes as a way of introspection. The ashes serve as a reminder that our lives are fragile and transient: we are dust, from dust we were formed, and to dust we shall return,” the homily conveyed, according to the Vatican.

The pope also urged a “return to God with all our hearts,” encouraging Catholics to prioritize placing Him at the center of their lives.

The road to recovery for Pope Francis remains uncertain, with global well-wishers hoping for his swift recuperation.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.