Pope Francis, hospitalized in critical condition with double pneumonia, was well enough to meet with the Vatican secretary of state to approve new decrees for saints and call a formal meeting to set the dates for their canonization,

The Argentine, who underwent the removal of part of a lung when he was young, has been hospitalized since February 14, and doctors have indicated that his situation is uncertain, given his age, fragility,

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