Pope Francis in critical condition with early kidney failure as prayers pour in

Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests show early kidney failure but he remains alert and welloriented and attended Mass the Vatican said as the 88yearold pontiff battles pneumonia and a complex lung infectionIn a late update the Vatican said Francis had not had any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygenSome blood tests showed initial mild kidney failure but doctors said it was under control The decreased platelet count necessary for clotting that was first detected Saturday was stableThe complexity of the clinical picture and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback dictate that the prognosis remains reserved the doctors concludedPrayers for him poured in from around the world from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in RomeIn New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted what church leaders in Rome were not saying publicly that the Catholic faithful were united at the bedside of a dying fatherAs our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very very fragile health and probably close to death Cardinal Dolan said at St Patricks Cathedral without saying if he had independent information about the popes conditionDoctors have said Francis condition is touchandgo given his age fragility and preexisting lung disease His condition has revived speculation about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated and whether he might resignPrayers for pope at VaticanFrancis was supposed to have celebrated Mass on Sunday morning in St Peters Basilica and ordained deacons as part of the Vaticans yearlong Holy Year commemorationThe organiser of the Holy Year Archbishop Rino Fisichella celebrated the Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily the pope had preparedEven though he is in a hospital bed we feel Pope Francis close to us We feel him present among us Archbishop Fisichella told the hundreds of whiterobed deaconsA prewritten message that had been prepared for Francis to read Sunday but did not deliver said he was confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital carrying on with the necessary treatment and rest is also part of the therapy The message asked for prayers for him as he always asks and noted the upcoming anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanityMeanwhile in Francis native Argentina Catholics prayed for the pope at the Buenos Aires cathedral and the citys iconic obelisk was lit up Francis the city prays for youIn Cairo the grand imam of AlAzhar the seat of Sunni learning who forged a close bond with Francis wished him wellI pray to Allah to grant my dear brother Pope Francis a swift recovery and to bless him with good health and wellbeing so that he may continue his journey in serving humanity Sheikh Ahmed alTayeb wrote in a Facebook postAnd school children from around Rome deluged the Gemelli hospital with getwell cards while Italian bishops led rosary prayers and celebrated special Masses across ItalyDoctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is sepsis a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia As of Friday there was no evidence of any sepsis and Francis was responding to the various drugs he is taking the popes medical team said in their first indepth update on the popes conditionFrancis developed a low platelet count a condition called platelopenia or thrombocytopenia Platelets are celllike fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things including side effects from medicines or infectionsFrancis who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter was admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14 after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsenedDoctors first diagnosed the complex viral bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs They prescribed absolute rest and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics along with supplemental oxygen when he needs itThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever