ROME — Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis spent his seventh night in hospital without any complications, the Vatican said on Friday, as the 88-year-old pontiff continues to receive treatment for pneumonia. "The night went well," said a Vatican spokesman,

The Catholic Church is almost 2,000 years old, and over the centuries, the protocol for papal funerals has been codified and refined into a seamless procedure. In the case of the pope’s death, Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell would be expected to confirm his death with the aid of medical professionals.