Pope Francis showed modest improvement in laboratory tests on Monday and resumed select work activities, the Vatican reported. The 88-year-old pontiff, who has been battling pneumonia in both lungs, was noted to have not experienced any further respiratory crises.

Pope Francis remained in critical condition Monday but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work, the Vatican said, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.

Pope Francis remained in critical condition Monday but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work, the Vatican said, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.

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.

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.

In a critical condition, Pope Francis does not forget his people in the region that is now devastated due to Israeli attacks.

Pope Francis spends “a peaceful night” at Rome‘s Gemelli Hospital and has breakfast while sitting in an armchair on Thursday morning, the Vatican tells journalists on Feb. 20.

Pope Francis showed improvement in his health, allowing him to resume some work activities, including reaching out to a Gaza City parish. Despite suffering from pneumonia, the Vatican's bulletin was optimistic,

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, will lead a public recitation of the rosary at 9 p.m. Feb. 24 in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis was in good spirits, was not in pain and was not receiving artificial nutrition, the Vatican said. The work he was doing included reading and signing documents, and indeed the Vatican's daily noon bulletin has included new bishop nominations nearly every day,

Pope Francis is still critically ill as he battles double pneumonia, but his condition has shown a "slight improvement", the Vatican said on Monday.