Pope Francis showed slight improvement in laboratory tests Monday and resumed some work activities, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began, the Vatican said.

The 88-year-old’s critical condition was a setback for hopes that he might recover from his recent fight with bronchitis and pneumonia.

(James Hill | The New York Times) A woman prays at the statue of Pope John Paul II outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where Pope Francis is being treated for pneumonia, a complex infection and kidney problems that have left him in critical condition, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. The 88-year-old pontiff was resting on Monday, the Vatican said.