Pope Francis' Grim 'Death Watch' Latest: Pontiff is Now in 'Critical Condition' Showing Early Signs of Kidney Failure — After He Issued Plea for Prayers From Hospital Bed
Pope Francis is now dealing with early kidney failure, adding to the list of his current health complications.
Feb. 24 2025, Published 2:07 p.m. ET
Pope Francis is continuing his battle for survival with an unsettling new diagnosis.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the 88-year-old is hanging on in critical condition for a second day, as blood tests have now exposed early kidney failure – adding to his nightmare list of double pneumonia and a brutal lung infection.
The pontiff, who has been hospitalized for over a week, is reportedly still alert and responsive according to the Vatican.
Despite his current state, the Vatican reported on Sunday the Pope is still alert and responsive – having attended Mass.
He has not experienced any respiratory crises since Saturday night, though he continues to receive high-flow supplemental oxygen.
Pope Francis experienced a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis and has been receiving medical care.
Blood tests have revealed "initial, mild" kidney failure – which affects the filtration of waste products in the blood – but doctors assured it is being managed.
Additionally, Francis' platelet count, which is essential for clotting and was first noted on Saturday, has now stabilized, according to his medical team.
Doctors said: "The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains reserved."
Francis has been hospitalized for more than a week, following his admission to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14.
He has been receiving medical care due to a severe lung infection and underwent blood transfusions after tests revealed anemia.
On Saturday, RadarOnline.com revealed the pontiff experienced a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis, leaving him needing high levels of oxygen.
A statement from the Vatican read: "The Holy Father continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair, although in more pain than yesterday. At the moment, the prognosis is reserved."
A message that was prepared for Francis to read during Holy Year had the absent pope asking for prayers.
Francis was scheduled to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's year-long Holy Year observance.
Instead, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the organizer of the Holy Year, led the Mass in his place – offering a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily that the pope had prepared.
He told the deacons: "Even though he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis close to us. We feel him present among us," he told the hundreds of white-robed deacons."
A message that was prepared for Francis to read on Sunday – but he did not deliver – said he was "confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment – and rest is also part of the therapy!"
The message also requested prayers and referred to the upcoming anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.".
Francis' doctors have been warning of the looming threat of sepsis as a potential complication – especially given his age and preexisting respiratory ailments.
Dr. Luigi Carbone, the pontiff's personal physician, emphasized the fragility of patients in critical conditions, stating: "He is not out of danger. So like all fragile patients, I say they are always on the golden scale: In other words, it takes very little to become unbalanced."
The medical team overseeing Francis' treatment has been closely monitoring his response to prescribed medications and oxygen therapy.
At first, the Pope resisted going to the hospital at first but "was told in no uncertain terms that he was at risk of dying if he stayed in his room in the Vatican," a report stated at the time.
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Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid the Pope a visit on Wednesday, who said he was "alert and responsive."
Despite his bad health, it was reported Francis still joked about people betting on his death, as Meloni said he "hasn't lost his proverbial sense of humor."
The 88-year-old is expected to remain in the hospital for at least another week.
On the same day, it was said the Swiss Guard, which protects the Pope, was rehearsing his funeral as they were "preparing for the pontiff's death."
Prayers for Francis have been coming in from all corners of the globe, including his home country of Argentina, the heart of Sunni Islam in Cairo, and even schoolchildren in Rome.
He is expected to remain in the hospital for at least another week.
