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

But as Pope Francis has battled double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli hospital since February 14, the Vatican has been trying something new. The Holy See press office has been giving daily updates on his condition.

The chaplain of the Agostino Gemelli Hospital, where Pope Francis remains hospitalized, has called for faith and prayer, urging Catholics to embrace "hope against all hope" as concerns over the pontiff's health persist.