The recorded message from the 88-year-old Pope was broadcast at 9 p.m. local time and was the first message he has made since he was hospitalized with double pneumonia in Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Feb.

Pope Francis had a good night in hospital in Rome, the Vatican said on Thursday morning, where he is being treated for pneumonia. "The night passed quietly; the pope is still resting," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

Doctors said the pope’s condition remains stable and he has not had any further respiratory insufficiencies since Monday.

The Pope has reached the two-week mark in his recovery from pneumonia, as doctors suggested he had overcome the most critical phase of the infection – while not declaring him out of danger entirely. The Vatican’s update on Friday morning also suggested a level of normalcy and routine as the 88-year-old continues recovering at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.

Francis remained in stable condition, with a guarded prognosis, meaning he was not out of danger, the Vatican said.