Argentines have long waited for Pope Francis to visit the homeland he left in 2013 to become the head of the Roman Catholic Church. With his health delicate as he battles double pneumonia, the return seems increasingly unlikely now to happen.

Pope Francis, in hospital fighting double pneumonia, rested well overnight, the Vatican said on Monday. The Vatican said on Sunday evening that the 88-year-old pontiff's condition was stable, and he no longer required the use of mechanical ventilation to breathe.

Pope Francis, who has been in the hospital for just over two weeks fighting double pneumonia, is in a stable condition and has not had further breathing crises after a health setback the day before, the Vatican said on Saturday.