The Vatican on Monday announced the start of nighttime prayers for the health of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square, and invited Romans and others to join in, as the 88-year-old pontiff battled a complex lung infection and complications.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis, hospitalized in critical condition with double pneumonia, was well enough to meet with the Vatican secretary of state to approve new decrees for saints and call a formal meeting to set the dates for their canonization, the Vatican said Tuesday.

( NewsNation) — Pope Francis remains in critical condition though showing “slight improvement” in some laboratory results, according to the Vatican. On Tuesday morning, The Holy Press See Office reported that Francis slept well overnight despite his serious condition.

Even while Pope Francis is hospitalized, he still keeps in touch with a Roman Catholic parish in Gaza City, making near-nightly phone calls to the priest and congregation there.

The Vatican says Pope Francis remains in critical condition but has showed slight improvement in laboratory tests. He has resumed some work activities, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.

From his hospital bed, Pope Francis stays in touch with Catholic parishioners in Gaza ROME, Italy — Pope Francis ... blackout in the whole area of Gaza City, he insisted and managed to contact ...

ROME, Italy — Pope Francis remains in the ... "Although we had a blackout in the whole area of Gaza City, he insisted and managed to contact us with a video call," he said, according to the ...