Sri Lanka, Feb. 24 -- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna, led a prayer on February 23, 2025 for Pope Francis who remains in a critical condition for a second day running has shown an "initial, slight insufficiency" in his kidney function, the Vatican said on Sunday.

The prognosis for the 88-year-old pope, who required a transfusion of two units of blood on Saturday (February 22) after experiencing a "prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis," remains "guarded", according to the latest medical update.

During the prayer he said the churches in Italy, in these coming days "will gather in so many ways always in the sweet company of Mary to intercede for the Pope's recovery."

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