Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square Monday evening to pray for an ailing Pope Francis, expressing sorrow for his suffering, hope for his recovery and gratitude for his efforts to steer the Catholic Church in new directions.

Pope Francis, who is in critical condition in hospital battling double pneumonia, rested well throughout the night, the Vatican said on Tuesday. The 88-year-old pope was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 with a serious respiratory illness that has since triggered other health problems.

The Vatican said that the pontiff had pneumonia in both lungs and that he “continued to present a complex picture.”