Vatican says Pope out of danger and could be sent home in near future

The Vatican says Pope Francis is out of immediate danger and could even be sent home in the near future.

He has been in Rome’s Gemelli hospital for more than three weeks with pneumonia in both lungs.

The 88-year-old pontiff has since suffered several respiratory crises that sparked real fear for his life.

But after a week of steady improvement, the Holy See reported on Tuesday that he was in good spirits.

It said he prayed in the morning at the private chapel next to the papal suite at the hospital, and has taken part remotely in spiritual exercises of prayers and meditation.

The Vatican added, however, that the Pope’s condition remains complex and that he will require hospital treatment for several more days.

No exact timeframe was given for his discharge and it is unclear whether he will able to take part in Easter celebrations. The holiest period in the Christian calendar culminates on 20 April.

Pilgrims visiting Rome for the 2025 Jubilee holy year celebrations have been praying every night for the pope, while special services have been held in churches around the world.

Francis on Thursday will celebrate the 12th anniversary of his 2013 election as leader of the world's nearly 1.4 billion Catholics.

While he has not been seen in public since entering the hospital, he has continued to work throughout his illness.

Even as he recovers, his hospitalisation -- the longest and most serious of his papacy -- has revived questions about his future.