The press office for the Vatican said Sunday that Pope Francis was able to rest overnight as he slowly recovers from double pneumonia after initially being hospitalized for bronchitis.

Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, remains in a critical condition and his prognosis is still guarded because of the "complexity" of his clinical condition, the Vatican said on Sunday.

“Pope Francis is touched by the numerous messages of affection and closeness that he continues to receive in these hours,” the Vatican statement said. The pope expressed particular gratitude for the well wishes he received from his fellow patients in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and asked for continued prayers.