Pope Francis loyalists have criticised senior figures within the Catholic Church who have openly raised the possibility of the pontiff resigning.

The 88-year-old Pope was taken to hospital in Rome over a week ago suffering from bronchitis and respiratory problems, and he remains in hospital battling pneumonia in both lungs.

This has sent the Vatican rumour mill into overdrive, with gossip and speculation abound over whether he might follow the example of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who in 2013 became the first pontiff to resign in 600 years.

The criticism came as the Vatican announced that for a second consecutive week, the Pope would not appear in public on Sunday to lead his usual Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square.