The Pope has "resumed some work" as his latest test results have "improved".

Officials have since assured the public that the 88-year-old's slight kidney failure is "not a cause for concern".

Yesterday, Pope Francis remained in critical condition but had not endured any "further respiratory crises", the Vatican confirmed.

In a statement on Monday evening, the Vatican said: "The clinical conditions of the Holy Father, in their critical state, show a slight improvement."

Pope Francis Reuters

They revealed that the head of the Catholic Church did not suffer from any episodes of asthmatic respiratory crises as "some laboratory tests improved".

The monitoring of mild renal failure does not signal "cause for concern" as doctors continue with oxygen therapy with a "slightly reduced flow and oxygen percentage".

"The doctors, considering the complexity of the clinical picture, are prudently not releasing the prognosis yet. In the morning he received the Eucharist, while in the afternoon he resumed work activity," they revealed.

"In the evening he called the Parish Priest of the Parish of Gaza to express his paternal closeness. Pope Francis thanks all the people of God who have gathered in these days to pray for his health," Vatican officials added.