Pope Francis suffered two new acute respiratory crises and was put back on non-invasive mechanical ventilation in another setback to his battle to fight pneumonia, the Vatican said. Doctors extracted “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs during two bronchoscopies,

The Vatican houses the central government of the Catholic Church and is also an independent city-state. The pope is both the head of the Catholic Church and head of state. In order to govern both, he has the Roman Curia, meaning “court.” In modern terms, the Curia is the papal bureaucracy. It is an extension of the pope’s authority.

Pope slept well and is no longer on mechanical ventilation, the latest positive update from the Vatican stated.

COMMENTARY: The Council’s Decree ‘Christus Dominus’ is a vivid reminder of the meaning of the bishop’s pastoral role in the Catholic Church.

Francis has weighed in publicly before on ethics for end-of-life medical situations, but it is unknown whether he has made known his own wishes should he face such a crossroads.

The Vatican has laws to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns, but they don't apply if he is sick.

Pope Francis’s battle with double pneumonia is the most serious health complication the pontiff has suffered from since taking the Chair of St. Peter in 2013.