In a sign of his improved health, Francis followed the Vatican's weeklong spiritual retreat via videoconference in both morning and afternoon sessions.

Pope Francis is not considered to be in imminent danger from the infection he arrived to the hospital with, a Vatican source said on Monday. Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital in mid-February and has been battling pneumonia in both of his lungs.

Pope Francis is responding well to treatment in hospital and his doctors have decided his prognosis is no longer guarded, the Vatican said on Monday, in a sign of progress as the 88-year-old pontiff battles double pneumonia.