Pope Francis, who is in critical condition in hospital battling double pneumonia, is alert, rested well throughout the night and is continuing his treatment, the Vatican said on Tuesday. The 88-year-old pope is spending his 12th day at Rome's Gemelli hospital,

Pope Francis remains in critical condition, with blood tests showing mild signs of kidney failure “which is currently under control,” the Vatican said Sunday, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia in both his lungs.

Time-honored rituals, drafted and refined over centuries, allow time for mourning and provide order at a dramatic moment of transition.