The Vatican plunged into somber silence today as it announced, for the first time, that Pope Francis is in “critical condition” following a harrowing respiratory crisis at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. The 88-year-old pontiff, battling double pneumonia, suffered a “prolonged asthma-like attack” Saturday morning, requiring high-flow oxygen and blood transfusions, Reuters reported. “The Holy Father is not out of danger,” the Vatican’s stark statement read, sending shockwaves through 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.

Admitted on February 14 with bronchitis that spiraled into a complex lung infection, Francis, who lost part of one lung to pleurisy in youth, faces his gravest health crisis since becoming pope in 2013. Doctors warn of sepsis risks, a potentially fatal blood infection, as his condition teeters on a “golden scale,” said Dr. Sergio Alfieri, Gemelli’s surgical chief. Blood tests revealed anemia and low platelet counts, prompting transfusions, while a mild kidney issue emerged Sunday, though controlled.

Outside Gemelli, pilgrims and nuns lit candles and prayed beneath a statue of Pope John Paul II, their tears mingling with hope. “He’s our father—we need him,” sobbed Elvira Romana, an Italian pilgrim. In St. Peter’s Square, Cardinal Pietro Parolin led nightly rosaries, urging the faithful to “sustain Francis in this trial.” On X, #PrayForFrancis trended as posts echoed global concern, with President Donald Trump’s team offering prayers.

Despite the peril, Francis remains alert, working lightly from his hospital bed and even calling a Gaza parish priest to offer support. Yet, whispers of resignation—unheard since Benedict XVI’s 2013 exit—swirl among cardinals, though Parolin dismissed such talk as “useless.” The Holy Year, a once-in-25-years Catholic jubilee, continues without him, a poignant absence as deacons gather in Rome.

As Francis fights, the world watches, hearts heavy. Will the resilient Argentine pontiff defy the odds, or is this the twilight of his papacy? Only prayers and time will tell…