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Pope Francis, who was hospitalised in critical condition with double pneumonia, met with the Vatican secretary of state and his deputy on Tuesday to approve new decrees for saints and call a meeting to set the dates for their canonisation, the Associated Press reported, quoting the Vatican.
The Pope has approved decrees for five people for beatification and two for canonisation, according to Vatican’s bulletin.
Francis, who met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and his deputy, Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, has “decided to convene a consistory about the future canonisations”, the statement further said.
Earlier, in a statement on Monday, the Vatican had said that “the clinical conditions of the Holy Father, in their critical nature, show a slight improvement.”
“Today there were no episodes of asthmatic respiratory attacks; some laboratory tests have improved,” the Vatican had said, while providing the latest update on the 88-year-old pontiff’s health.
The Pope was still receiving oxygen, “although with slightly reduced flow and oxygen percentage,” the statement further mentioned.
Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 with breathing difficulties, and his condition subsequently worsened.
He is battling pneumonia in both lungs as well as kidney issues in what has become the longest hospital stay of his nearly 12-year tenure.
The head of the Catholic Church, who has been pope since 2013, has suffered bouts of illness over the past two years.
His continued hospitalisation has prompted a global outpour of concern and support, with a special prayer organised recently in St Peter’s Square in Rome.
