Papal nuncio asks for continued prayers for Pope Francis

Archbishop Charles John Brown, papal nuncio to the Philippines, on Saturday appealed to Filipinos to continue praying for Pope Francis as he battles pneumonia in both lungs.

"Please continue to pray for him. He needs our prayers. He relies on our prayers indeed," Brown said during the installation of Bishop Rufino Sescon Jr. as the new bishop of the Diocese of Balanga at the Cathedral-Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph in Bataan, according to a report on CBCP News.

“Yesterday, he suffered a bit of a setback in his medical condition. So please do not cease to pray for our Holy Father Pope Francis at this time,” Brown added.

Pope Francis, 88, had a setback on Friday, the Vatican said.

The pontiff had an "isolated bronchospasm crisis" which led to a "sudden worsening of the respiratory condition" while confined at Rome's Gemelli hospital, it said.

Pope Francis received aspiration to help remove the vomit from his airways, then was placed on "non-invasive mechanical ventilation."

On Saturday morning (PH time), the Vatican said Pope Francis is in a stable condition and no further breathing crises occurred.

However, he was still on non-invasive mechanical ventilation which is alternated with "long periods of high-flow oxygen therapy".

It was on February 14 when the pontiff was hospitalized after experiencing difficulty breathing due to bronchitis.

Doctors thereafter discovered he had double pneumonia.

READ: Pope Francis’ recent health issues

—KG, GMA Integrated News