Ignore the screenshot doing the rounds on social media claiming that Pope Francis is dead. It is FAKE NEWS.
On Sunday morning, the Holy See Press Office confirmed that Pope Francis spent a peaceful ninth night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he is being treated for double pneumonia.
“The Holy Father’s condition remains critical, but since last evening, he has not experienced any further respiratory crises.”
“The complexity of the clinical picture, along with the time required for the pharmalogical treatment to show results, means that the prognosis is still guarded.”
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The Holy See Press Office provides official updates on the activities of the Pope and the Holy See, which is the governing body of the Roman Catholic Church, operating from Vatican City.
It said that, earlier on, the pope had experienced an asthma-like respiratory crisis of prolonged intensity, which required the administration of high-flow oxygen through nasal cannulas.
While clinical exams were underway, the leader of the Catholic Church was not out of danger, as blood tests revealed that he also had thrombocytopenia associated with anaemia, which required the administration of blood transfusions, the Holy See Press Office added.
“The Holy Father remains alert and spent the day in an armchair, although he is more fatigued than yesterday.”
According to POLITICO, with the 88-year-old Pope Francis in hospital with pneumonia in both lungs, in the event of his death, it is traditionally the job of the camerlengo (a senior Vatican official) to confirm the death of a pope. Currently, that position is held by Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
If tradition stands, it will be Farrell who visits Pope Francis’ body in his private chapel and calls out his name to rouse him. Nowadays, this is largely ceremonial, as doctors will have confirmed the pontiff’s death through more standard medical means.
When the pontiff does not respond, according to tradition, his signet ring, which acts as the seal for official papal documents, is defaced or destroyed, signifying the end of his reign, and the papal apartments are sealed off.
The camerlengo will subsequently inform the College of Cardinals – a group of bishops and archbishops responsible for electing the pope – before the Vatican officially announces the pontiff’s death to the world via a public statement.
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