Pope Francis rested well overnight and is in a stable condition as he fights double pneumonia in hospital for the 18th day, the Vatican said on Monday. The 88-year-old pontiff no longer requires the use of mechanical ventilation to breathe and has been without a fever,

ROME and LONDON -- Pope Francis ' clinical condition remains "stable" on Sunday, the Vatican said, as the pontiff continues to be hospitalized for the 17th consecutive day.

Time-honored rituals, drafted and refined over centuries, allow time for mourning and provide order at a dramatic moment of transition.