The Vatican carried on with its Holy Year celebrations without the pope Saturday, as Pope Francis battled pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection that doctors say remains touch-and-go and will keep him hospitalized for at least another week.

VATICAN CITY >> Pope Francis’ health has deteriorated over the past 24 hours, the Vatican said in a statement today, adding that he had suffered a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis” and had needed blood transfusions.

The Vatican announced Saturday that Pope Francis, 88, is in critical condition after a long asthmatic respiratory crisis.