Pope Francis increased his physical activity Wednesday, called the Catholic parish priest in Gaza and celebrated the start of Lent by receiving ashes on his forehead, the Vatican said. The Holy Father suffered no respiratory crises during the day,

While Pope Francis remained hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, Italian Cardinal Angelo De Donatis celebrated the Ash Wednesday Mass in his place at the Basilica of Santa Sabina, March 5 in Rome.

Francis, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection that developed into double pneumonia.