Pope Francis had an isolated coughing episode on Friday that resulted in his breathing vomit, necessitating non-invasive mechanical ventilation, according to the Vatican, marking a setback in his two-week struggle with double pneumonia. The 88-year-old Pope remained cognizant and alert at all times, and he cooperated with the procedures to aid his recovery. He responded well, with a good level of oxygen exchange, and was still wearing a mask to receive supplemental oxygen, the Vatican added.

The occurrence, which happened in the early afternoon, caused a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors opted to keep Francis’ prognosis guarded and stated that they required 24-48 hours to assess how and whether the experience had affected his overall clinical health. Francis aspirated vomit during a coughing fit that physicians described as a “isolated crisis of bronchial spasm”. According to the Vatican, Francis’ extended respiratory crisis on February 22 was a crisis of respiration.

Doctors did not resume referring to Francis as “critical condition,” which had been missing from their statements for three days. However, given the complexities of his case, they have been hesitant to declare him completely safe.

The Vatican has already planned alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, indicating that Francis still has a long road ahead. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 liturgy and procession, which kicks off the church’s solemn Lenten season running up to Easter in April.

Prayers Continued To Pour In

A few dozen people gathered at Mexico City’s cathedral on Thursday night to pray for Francis’ recovery. “He is like part of the family,” said Araceli Gutiérrez, who values the time she spent with the Pope during his 2016 visit to the country of roughly 100 million Catholics. “That’s why we feel so concerned for him.” María Teresa Sánchez, visiting from Colombia with her sister, stated that she has always felt linked to Francis, the first Latin American Pope. “That’s like having a relative within the higher-ups, with God,” according to her. “He has done so much for religion; he’s such a humble person.”

Upcoming Calendar In Question

Francis’ upcoming calendar of events has been altered due to his ongoing hospitalization. The Vatican canceled a Holy Year audience scheduled for Saturday, and it is unclear if he will skip his Sunday noon blessing for the third week in a row. With Ash Wednesday now delegated to a cardinal, the next major events come during Holy Week and Easter, which falls on April 20 this year.

Aside from that, Francis has a couple huge events coming up that he presumably hopes to attend if he feels good enough. On April 27, Pope will canonize Carlo Acutis, who is widely regarded as the first millennial and digital-era saint. The Vatican sees the Italian youngster, who died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, as an inspiration to young Catholics.

Another significant appointment is the May 24 celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the assembly of Nicea, Christianity’s first ecumenical assembly. Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, has requested Francis to join him in Iznik, Turkey, to observe the anniversary, which he describes as a significant gesture of reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Francis expressed a desire to travel prior to being ill, but the Vatican has yet to confirm the trip.