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

Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis has shown “a slight improvement” in his health while being hospitalized for double pneumonia, but he is still considered to be in critical condition. The 88-year-old has spent the last 10 days in a Rome hospital.