VATICAN:Ailing pope approves canonisation of new saints from hospital

Pope Francis has approved the canonisation of two new saints from his hospital bed, the Vatican said Tuesday, as the 88-year-old pontiff, who has pneumonia in both lungs, remained hospitalised for a 12th day. Despite his critical condition, the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics has striven to keep up with Church matters […]

Pope Francis has approved the canonisation of two new saints from his hospital bed, the Vatican said Tuesday, as the 88-year-old pontiff, who has pneumonia in both lungs, remained hospitalised for a 12th day.
Despite his critical condition, the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics has striven to keep up with Church matters during his stay, according to the Vatican.
After revealing a “slight improvement” in the Argentine pope’s condition Monday evening, the Vatican said Tuesday that he had received its secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin the day before, and his number two, Venezuelan Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra.
Francis approved the canonisation of two Venezuelan and Italian laymen who died in the early 20th century while authorising the first steps towards sainthood for three 19th-century priests from Spain, Italy and Poland, the Vatican said.
The pope has been working from his special papal suite on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he was admitted on February 14 with breathing difficulties.