Pope Francis has suffered a serious setback in his two-week battle with double pneumonia. Newsweek's live blog is closed.

The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season leading to Easter on Wednesday without the participation of Pope Francis, who was in the third week of hospital treatment for double pneumonia. A cardinal took the pope's place leading a short penitential procession between two churches on the Aventine Hill,

The Holy Father's prognosis remains complex as he engages in Lenten traditions and Vatican duties during hospitalization.

Pope Francis continued his recovery from double pneumonia on Saturday as the Vatican’s Holy Year proceeded without him on a weekend dedicated to the Catholic Church’s volunteers. “The

Pope Francis was showing a "gradual, mild improvement" on his 23rd consecutive day in the hospital for treatment of double pneumonia, the Vatican said Saturday.

Pope Francis is awake and resting Thursday after a peaceful night during his third week of hospital treatment for double pneumonia.

There has long been a Vatican taboo against openly talking about a conclave when a pope is sick: It’s considered gauche to speculate about the election of a new pope while the current one is fighting for his life.

VATICAN CITY — The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season on Wednesday without the participation of Pope Francis, who was in the third week of hospital treatment for double pneumonia.