The Vatican announced that the health of 88-year-old spiritual leader Pope Francis, who has been under treatment for pneumonia since February 14 due to a respiratory infection at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, Italy, has deteriorated in the last 24 hours and has become “critical.”

“Although he is more unwell than yesterday, he is awake and spent the day in a chair. The course of the disease is currently being monitored,” said authorities.