An audio message recorded by Pope Francis has been played at a nightly prayer service at St Peter's square.
The message, recorded in Spanish said: "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square, I accompany you from here.
"May God bless you and the Virgin protect you.
"Thank you."
The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to hospital in Rome three weeks ago with bronchitis.
He is now battling pneumonia in both lungs.
This is the first audio recording the pope has released since he began treatment on February 14.
He has not been seen by the public since he entered hospital.
The pope has continued to work from hospital.
On Thursday, the Vatican announced the appointments of two bishops that would have required his approval.
In the latest detailed medical update on his condition, the Vatican said the pope had not had a fever and his blood tests had remained stable. Despite pausing the daily readouts about his condition, the doctors continued to call the pope's prognosis "guarded", meaning he was not yet out of danger.
The tone of the updates from the Vatican has been more upbeat in recent days, following what was described as two episodes of "acute respiratory insufficiency"on Monday.
On Thursday, the Vatican said the pope had been able to work between receiving his treatments and taking rest.
It also said the pontiff, who has used a wheelchair in recent years due to knee and back pain, had continued with some physical therapy to help with mobility, which first started on Wednesday.
The pope has experienced several bouts ill health over the last two years and is prone to lung infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.
Double pneumonia is a serious infection in both lungs that can inflame and scar them, making it difficult to breathe.
