Clutching a bouquet of yellow roses, 79-year-old Carmela Vittoria Mancuso makes her way to Rome's Gemelli hospital each morning and later heads to St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in the evening to pray for the ailing Pope Francis.

Pope Francis, who has been in hospital for almost three weeks battling double pneumonia, is in stable condition and is doing some physical therapy, the Vatican said on Thursday. The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection that has required continuously evolving treatment.