The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, woke up after sleeping through the night, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis, who suffered two respiratory crises on Monday as he battles double pneumonia, has stabilised and no longer needs to use mechanical ventilation for help breathing, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

Pope Francis is being treated with supplemental oxygen to assist him with breathing, the Vatican said Tuesday, a day after he suffered two episodes of acute respiratory failure. Francis is currently receiving oxygen again via a nasal tube,