ROME (AP) - Pope Francis is currently participating in the Vatican's weeklong spiritual retreat from his hospital room in Rome, as he continues his recovery from double pneumonia. With the 12th anniversary of his election approaching, the pontiff faces questions regarding the future of his papacy.

The pope followed the opening of the retreat via videoconference on Sunday. While he could see and hear the Rev. Roberto Pasolini, who serves as the preacher of the papal household, the priests, bishops, and cardinals in attendance at the Vatican audience could not see or hear him. Rev. Pasolini delivered a meditation on "The hope of eternal life," a theme selected prior to Francis's admission to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14, 2025, due to a complex lung infection.

The annual retreat, which marks the onset of the Catholic Church's Lenten season leading to Easter, will continue throughout the week. The Vatican has stated that Francis will participate "in spiritual communion" with the rest of the hierarchy from a distance.

As of the early update on Monday, the Vatican reported that Pope Francis was resting after a peaceful night. At the time of his hospitalization last month, the 88-year-old pope, who suffers from chronic lung disease and previously had part of one lung removed as a youth, was initially diagnosed with a severe case of bronchitis. However, this infection quickly escalated into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia, which has rendered Francis sidelined for the longest duration in his 12-year papacy, consequently raising questions about his future.

Doctors reported that Francis has remained in stable condition for over a week, exhibiting no fever, respiratory crises, and maintaining good oxygen levels for several days. The medical team acknowledged that such stability was encouraging and indicated that the pope was responding well to therapy. Nonetheless, his prognosis remains "guarded," meaning he is not entirely out of danger. A further medical update was anticipated later on Monday.

This Thursday marks the 12th anniversary of Francis's election, with the pontiff continuing to lead while remaining largely out of public view. He was elected as the 266th pope on March 13, 2013, becoming the first Jesuit pope and the first pope from Latin America, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

On Sunday, Pope Francis had a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra for the third time at the hospital. These meetings are a customary part of the pope's governance and demonstrate that Francis is still actively engaging with essential church matters.

While praising Pope Benedict for his bravery and humility in resigning, Francis has recently expressed the belief that the role of pope is a lifetime commitment. As recently as last year, he affirmed that he had no plans to resign.

Pope Francis has been utilizing high flows of supplemental oxygen during daylight hours and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night to aid in his recovery.