Pope Francis has had a ‘slight improvement’ overnight – but remains in critical condition.

Vatican affairs correspondent for America Magazine Gerard O’Connell told Newstalk Breakfast that the blood transfusion received by the pontiff on Saturday is working.

“There are very clear signals that he is improving day by day,” he said.

“We’ve just got a report that he slept right through the night, had a very peaceful night, and yesterday, the red blood cells, which carry the oxygen to the body, had increased.

“So, the blood transfusion he received on Saturday is working... he’s sitting up in his hospital bedroom, he sits up on an armchair, he eats normally.”

Faithful pray during a nightly rosary in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican for Pope Francis' recovery, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Mr O’Connell said that if the Pope is to regain full health, there is no expectation he will resign.

“Francis has made very clear, he says, ‘You govern the Church from your head, not from your legs’,” he said.

“He’s said very clearly, he saw his election as election for life.

“He would only resign if – and there’s a letter to that effect – if something happened that, in fact, did not enable him to govern from the head.

“So, nobody expects him to resign unless there’s something serious like a stroke or something that would paralyze him.”

'Growing confidence'

According to Mr O’Connell, there is a “growing confidence” that Pope Francis will “pull through this”.

“Last Saturday evening, there was a real, real feeling [in the Vatican] that we’re near the end,” he said.

“But today now, and also Sunday, Monday and last evening, the had a big prayer service in St Peter’s Square.

“They had the reciting of the rosary, and it will happen every night now until he comes out of hospital.”

Pope Francis was admitted to the hospital with respiratory and kidney problems on February 14th.

Main image: Teacher paints a poster praying for speedy recovery of Pope Francis in Mumbai. (Credit Image: © Ashish Vaishnav/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire) 24th Feb, 2025.