Pope Francis issued a message today thanking volunteers for the ‘miracle of tenderness’ they offer the sick, as he continued his recovery from double pneumonia, with doctors reporting positive news.

After more than three weeks in the hospital, the 88-year-old pope is responding well to treatment and has shown gradual improvement in recent days. For the fourth Sunday in a row, Francis did not appear for his weekly noon blessing, but he met with his top deputies, and the Holy See distributed the text he would have delivered. In it, he thanked those caring for him and others enduring a ‘night of pain.’.

Doctors reported yesterday that, for the first time, Francis was responding positively to treatment for the complex lung infection diagnosed after his hospitalisation on February 14. However, they maintained a ‘guarded’ prognosis, indicating he is not yet out of danger.

Despite the Pope’s absence, the Vatican’s daily operations continued, along with preparations for the Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century Jubilee that draws millions of pilgrims to Rome.