Pope Francis' condition is stable and there have been no new respiratory attacks, the Vatican said. The 88-year-old pope spent his 20th day in hospital with pneumonia.

"He spent the day in an armchair," did some work and called Gaza's parish priest, the Holy See said in its regular update early this evening.

However, it added that "given the complexity of the clinical picture, the prognosis remains 'restrained'". This means that doctors will not say how they expect his condition to develop, AFP reported.

On March 3, Francis experienced "two episodes of acute respiratory failure," the third respiratory crisis since he was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on February 14.

On the evening of 4 March, the Vatican said he was "stable", and on the evening of 5 March, it said his condition remained unchanged, "showing no episodes of respiratory failure".

After using an oxygen mask the previous two nights, he had switched to a nasal cannula during the day and would resume using the mask in the evening, the statement said.

"The Holy Father has increased respiratory physiotherapy and active movement therapy," the update stated. It adds that he has also done some work.

Although he missed the official celebrations for Ash Wednesday, the start of the religious season of Lent, the pope participated in a blessing in his private papal suite on the 10th floor of the hospital, the Vatican said. | BGNES