Pope Francis has been able to spend brief moments of the day without any supplemental oxygen, which is yet another sign of the gradual improvement in his condition, the Vatican press office said.

Hundreds of pilgrims from the United States gathered for Mass at the majestic Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica with two main intentions in mind: the health of Pope Francis and the needs of their loved ones at home.

Pope Francis has approved the next phase of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, launching a three-year implementation process that will culminate in an ecclesial assembly at the Vatican in October 2028.

The Shroud of Turin, one of Catholicism’s most valued devotional items, will be digitally showcased during the Holy Year 2025, allowing visitors to engage with the revered relic like never before.

For the first time since Pope Francis was hospitalized in mid-February, the Vatican press office released a photograph of him March 16; the image shows him concelebrating Mass that morning in the chapel of his suite of rooms at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.

After more than a month in the hospital, Pope Francis’ condition continues to be stable, the Vatican said March 15, and he gradually is “reducing the need for noninvasive mechanical ventilation at night.”

Pope Francis congratulated Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services on the 50th anniversary of CRS Rice Bowl, the Catholic relief agency’s annual Lenten program dedicated to global hunger and poverty alleviation efforts.

After one full month of being hospitalized and treated for double pneumonia and other respiratory infections, Pope Francis’ medical condition has decidedly stabilized, the Vatican press office said.

As the United States continues to attempt to broker a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with the Vatican secretary of state.

Failing to attend or celebrate Mass is not just skipping a religious obligation — it is a sign that one’s spiritual hunger is withering, the preacher of the papal household warned members of the Roman Curia.