Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection, the Vatican said.

The 88-year-old pope, who remains conscious, received B次元官网网址渉igh flowsB次元官网网址� of oxygen to help him breathe. He also received blood transfusions after tests showed low counts of platelets, which are needed for clotting, the Vatican said in a late update.

B次元官网网址淭he Holy FatherB次元官网网址檚 condition continues to be critical, therefore, as explained yesterday (Friday), the pope is not out of danger,B次元官网网址� the statement said. It was the first time B次元官网网址渃riticalB次元官网网址� had been used in a written statement to describe FrancisB次元官网网址� condition since he was hospitalized Feb. 14.

The statement also said that the pontiff B次元官网网址渃ontinues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday.B次元官网网址� Doctors declined to offer a prognosis, saying it was B次元官网网址渞eserved.B次元官网网址�

Doctors have said FrancisB次元官网网址� condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease.

They have warned that the main threat facing Francis would be the , a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis, and Francis was responding to the various drugs he is taking, the popeB次元官网网址檚 medical team said in their first in-depth update on the popeB次元官网网址檚 condition.

SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 blood tests showed that he had developed a low platelet count, a condition called platelopenia or thrombocytopenia. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a .

Doctors first diagnosed the and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed B次元官网网址渁bsolute restB次元官网网址� and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it. SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 update marked the first time the Vatican has referred to Francis suffering an B次元官网网址渁sthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged magnitude, which also required the application of oxygen at high flows.B次元官网网址�

Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at RomeB次元官网网址檚 Gemelli hospital, said Friday the biggest threat facing Francis was that some of the germs that are currently located in his respiratory system pass into the bloodstream, causing sepsis. Sepsis can lead to organ failure and death.

B次元官网网址淪epsis, with his respiratory problems and his age, would be really difficult to get out of,B次元官网网址� Alfieri told a news conference Friday at Gemelli. B次元官网网址淭he English say B次元官网网址榢nock on wood,B次元官网网址� we say B次元官网网址榯ouch iron.B次元官网网址� Everyone touch what they want,B次元官网网址� he said as he tapped the microphone. B次元官网网址淏ut this is the real risk in these cases: that these germs pass to the bloodstream.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗e knows heB次元官网网址檚 in danger,B次元官网网址� Alfieri added. B次元官网网址淎nd he told us to convey that.B次元官网网址�

Meanwhile, the Vatican hierarchy went on the defensive to tamp down rumors and speculation that Francis might decide to resign. There is no provision in canon law for what to do if a pope becomes incapacitated. Francis has said that he has written a letter of resignation that would be invoked if he were medically incapable of making such a decision. The pope remains fully conscious, alert, eating and working.

The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, gave a rare interview to Corriere della Sera to respond to speculation and rumors about a possible resignation. It came after the Vatican issued an unusual and official denial of an Italian media report that said Parolin and the popeB次元官网网址檚 chief canonist had visited Francis in the hospital in secret. Given the canonical requirements to make a resignation legitimate, the implications of such a meeting were significant, but the Vatican flat-out denied that any such meeting occurred.

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Parolin said such speculation seemed B次元官网网址渦selessB次元官网网址� when what really mattered was the health of Francis, his recovery and return to the Vatican.

B次元官网网址淥n the other hand, I think it is quite normal that in these situations uncontrolled rumors can spread or some misplaced comment is uttered. It is certainly not the first time it has happened,B次元官网网址� Parolin was quoted as saying. B次元官网网址淗owever, I donB次元官网网址檛 think there is any particular movement, and so far I havenB次元官网网址檛 heard anything like that.B次元官网网址�

Deacons, meanwhile, were gathering at the Vatican for their special Holy Year weekend. Francis got sick at the start of the , the once-every-quarter-century celebration of Catholicism. This weekend, Francis was supposed to have celebrated deacons, a ministry in the church that precedes ordination to the priesthood.

In his place, the Holy Year organizer will celebrate SundayB次元官网网址檚 Mass, the Vatican said. And for the second consecutive weekend, Francis will skip his traditional Sunday noon blessing, which he could have delivered from Gemelli if he were up to it.

B次元官网网址淟ook, even though heB次元官网网址檚 not (physically) here, we know heB次元官网网址檚 here,B次元官网网址� said Luis Arnaldo L贸pez Quirindongo, a deacon from Ponce, Puerto Rico, who was at the Vatican on Saturday for the Jubilee celebration. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 recovering, but heB次元官网网址檚 in our hearts and is accompanying us, because our prayers and his go together.B次元官网网址�

Nicole Winfield And Silvia Stellacci, The Associated Press