Pope Francis, who is in hospital with double pneumonia, was well enough to meet with the Vatican secretary of state and his deputy to approve new decrees for saints and call a formal meeting to set the dates for their canonisation, officials have said.
The audience, which occurred on Monday, signalled that the machinery of the Vatican is still grinding on and looking ahead even with Francis in hospital and doctors warning his prognosis is guarded.
The Vatican’s Tuesday noon bulletin announced that Francis had approved decrees for five people for beatification and two for canonisation.
