Pope Francis increased his physical activity Wednesday, called the Catholic parish priest in Gaza and celebrated the start of Lent by receiving ashes on his forehead, the Vatican said. The Holy Father suffered no respiratory crises during the day,

The Vatican says that Pope Francis has increased his physical activity, called the Catholic parish priest in Gaza and marked the start of Lent by receiving ashes on his forehead

Pope Francis has reportedly increased his physical therapy, despite his outlook remaining "guarded," according to the Vatican. He apparently underwent high-flow oxygen therapy during the day and non-invasive ventilation at night.