In a sign affirming that Pope Francis has been able to conduct work while in the hospital, the Vatican said the pope had met with the top officials of the Vatican Secretariat of State and had signed several decrees in sainthood causes.
The Vatican press office said 25 February that the pope had signed the decrees the previous day during a meeting at Rome’s Gemelli hospital with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, and with Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, substitute secretary of state.
The announcement followed a typically brief morning update on the health of the 88-year-old pope, which said, “The pope rested well, all night.” Pope Francis, diagnosed with double pneumonia, has been in the hospital since 14 February.