VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - For centuries, one of the biggest taboos at the Vatican was openly discussing the pope's health. As leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, the pope is a revered spiritual figure. Talking about his earthly health was profane.

Pope Francis had breakfast on his seventh day in hospital, the Vatican said on Thursday in its latest update on his health.

Francis is continuing his therapy for bronchitis and pneumonia, but the Vatican provided no indication of when he might be released from the hospital.

Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, remains in a critical condition for a second day running and has shown an "initial, slight insufficiency" in his kidney function, the Vatican said on Sunday. The prognosis for the 88-year-old pope,

Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray for an ailing Pope Francis, expressing sorrow for his suffering, hope for his recovery and gratitude for his efforts to steer the Catholic Ch