ROME – Despite his diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia Tuesday night, sources near the pope and close papal aides have said that while his condition is serious, he is not in danger and is making progress toward recovery.

Sources close to the pope have confirmed to Crux that Pope Francis while in the hospital has received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, which they said is normal under the circumstances and does not imply that he is close to death.

The source said media reports indicating the pope is nearing death are exaggerated, and that while he is expected to have a lengthy hospital stay, he is slowly improving.

Other individuals close to the pope have made similar observations to other reporters, indicating that the pope, whose condition has remained stable throughout his hospital stay, is responding to treatment.

Italian Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, a close papal aide who travels with Pope Francis on all of his foreign trips and who serves as undersecretary for the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education, made similar statements to Italian television network TV2000, the official network of the Italian bishops.

According to Spadaro, the pope “is stable, they found the problem, the problem of a multi-bacteria infection and therefore they are administering a therapy which seems to be effective.”

“So, the pope is not worsening, as I often see being said in these hours, he does not have a fever, and yesterday he called the parish in Gaza,” he said, referring to some recent reports stating that the pope is dying, or in some cases, that he has already died.

“The pope is closed in a hospital room, and I think that for him it is terrible, but it’s truly necessary and we wish him a quick recovery,” Spadaro said.

Pope Francis has either called Holy Family parish in Gaza or sent a text message to its pastor, Father Gabriele Romanelli, every night that he has been in the hospital.

Italian media outlet Il Sole, citing sources inside the Gemelli Hospital, claims that the pope is able to get out of bed and sit in an armchair inside his room. Despite his serious respiratory issues, the pope is reportedly breathing on his own and is not receiving supplemental oxygen, and his heart “is holding up very well,” the sources claim.

He was admitted Friday for treatment of an ongoing bronchitis that had left him winded and made it difficult for him to read his own prepared speeches.

On Monday he was diagnosed with a polymicrobial respiratory infection, and, following a chest-scan on Tuesday afternoon, he was diagnosed with the “onset” of pneumonia, indicating that the condition is in early stages.

The Vatican in a statement Tuesday night described his condition as continuing to be “complex,” saying he has been receiving cortisone and antibiotic treatment for his infection, and that his antibiotic treatment has been further adjusted to target the pneumonia.

Francis’s appointments have been cancelled for the rest of the week and this weekend, including his Wednesday general audience and his Saturday jubilee general audience. He has also tasked Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, of celebrating a Sunday, Feb. 23, Mass for the Jubilee of Deacons in his place.

Italian news agency ANSA reports that on Tuesday, Korean Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for Clergy, who was in charge of organizing the Jubilee for Deacons, was seen at the Gemelli Hospital, presumably to discuss speeches and texts for the event.

Pope Francis from the Gemelli Hospital Tuesday also removed from office Canadian Bishop Jean-Pierre Blais of Baie-Comeau, who has been accused of abuse, appointing the local provincial of the Franciscans, Father Pierre Charland, as the new leader of the diocese.

He had previously, on Feb. 15, the day after his admission to the hospital, announced the appointment, as of March 1, of Italian Sister Raffaella Petrini as Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, making her the top-ranking woman in the Vatican who is in charge of the city state’s administration.

A Vatican statement Wednesday morning said Pope Francis “had a calm night, woke up, and had breakfast.”

Further information about his medical condition is expected later Wednesday afternoon.

Pope Francis has a particularly heavy workload this year given his regular duties, including his Lent and Easter events, as well as his additional tasks and events surrounding the Jubilee of Hope, which he inaugurated Dec. 24, 2024, and which will close on Jan. 6, 2026.

Follow Elise Ann Allen on X: @eliseannallen