ROME — Pope Francis has written and spoken at length about sickness, aging and death, and personally directed that his doctors provide the fairly detailed daily updates that have punctuated his own battle with pneumonia.

Pope Francis had a "restful" night as he continues his recovery from double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli hospital, the Vatican said in a short statement Wednesday morning. The 88-year-old Argentine pope remains under medical care as he approaches key milestones in his papacy.

Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia in hospital for almost a month, remains stable and a recent X-ray confirmed improvements in his condition that had been seen in previous days, the Vatican said on Wednesday.