Nuns pray in front of the statue of late Pope John Paul II outside Gemelli Hospital, where Pope Francis continues his treatment for pneumonia, in Rome, Italy. Poplar trees next to Sefton Park Allotments in Liverpool cast long shadows in the evening sun.

A woman walks past a picture of Pope John Paul II ahead of a prayer for Pope Francis at the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Spain, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

Candles are left at the foot of a marble monument of late Pope John Paul II outside Rome's Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic where Pope Francis is being treated for pneumonia, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Nuns pray for Pope Francis in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic,

Pigeons on a statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 where Pope Francis has been hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.

Time-honored rituals, drafted and refined over centuries, allow time for mourning and provide order at a dramatic moment of transition.

The Vatican says Pope Francis has continued making decisions and is improving, but his two-week hospital stay poses uncomfortable, unanswered questions about Vatican decision-making.

A special meeting of Cardinals has reportedly been scheduled, though the Vatican denies that it is linked to any announcement of the 88-year-old pontiff stepping down. Still, others ask why the Pope hasn't at least appeared from his hospital window.

When each pope takes on the role of religious leader of the Catholic church, they adopt a brand new name, and it's usually inspired by a past leader with meaningful reasons

Pope Francis’ medical team says the pontiff's condition isn’t life-threatening. But they said Friday that Francis isn't out of danger.

Rome's Gemelli hospital, where Pope Francis is being treated for pneumonia, is the favoured choice of pontiffs — to the point of being dubbed "Vatican III" by John Paul II. The 88-year-old Francis is on his fourth stay at the Gemelli since 2021.