Faithful gathered at St. Peter's Square on Monday evening (February 24) for a prayer service for Pope Francis as the Pope's condition is slightly improving, the Vatican's latest medical statement said.

Pope shows ‘slight improvement’: Vatican

The service, the first of continuing nightly prayers in the square, was led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the second most senior official in the Vatican.

Pope Francis' condition has slightly improved, the Vatican said in a medical update on Monday evening ahead of the prayers, adding that his "slight" kidney problem was not a cause for concern.

Francis, who has been pope since 2013, has suffered bouts of ill health over the past two years. He is particularly prone to lung infections because he developed pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.

(Production: Antonio Denti, Malgorzata Wojtunik)