Sepsis ‘a threat’ to pope as Vatican Holy Year celebrations continue without him

A woman lays a rosary near candles adorned with pictures of Pope Francis outside the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome where Francis is being treated for pneumonia Picture: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

The Vatican carried on with its Holy Year celebrations without the pope on Saturday, as Pope Francis battled pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection that doctors say remains touch and go and will keep him in hospital for at least another week.

Francis slept well overnight, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a brief early update on Saturday.