People across Latin America prayed for Pope Francis, the first leader of the Catholic Church to come from the region, as the Vatican reported on Saturday the Argentina-born pontiff was in critical condition in a Rome hospital.

Pope Francis continued his hospitalization in Rome as he marked one week at the medical facility on Friday, Vatican officials said.

Pope Francis, who is being treated in hospital for double pneumonia, will not appear in public on Sunday to lead his usual prayer with pilgrims for a second consecutive week, the Vatican said. Francis is being treated at Rome's Gemelli hospital,