The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season leading to Easter on Wednesday without the participation of Pope Francis, who was in the third week of hospital treatment for double pneumonia.

Pope Francis has suffered a serious setback in his two-week battle with double pneumonia. Newsweek's live blog is closed.

Francis remained in stable condition, with a guarded prognosis, meaning he was not out of danger, the Vatican said.

As Pope Francis has battled double pneumonia in hospital for nearly three weeks, talk of the 88-year-old pontiff's death or resignation has become almost commonplace. A few senior Catholic cardinals are talking openly about the possibility that Francis could follow his predecessor Benedict XVI and resign.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was up and receiving therapy on Monday after apparently overcoming a setback in his recovery from pneumonia. The Vatican said he is stable, off mechanical ventilation and is showing no sign of new infection following a respiratory crisis late last week.

Pope Francis continued his slow recovery from double pneumonia on Thursday, beating back speculation of an imminent death, resignation or conclave and signaling that he was still very much in charge, albeit in a weakened state.

The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season on Wednesday without the participation of Pope Francis, who was in the third week of hospital treatment for double pneumonia.