The Vatican says that Pope Francis continues to improve from double pneumonia Thursday, though doctors say he needs more days of “clinical stability” before they revise their guarded prognosis.

The Vatican says Pope Francis has shown further slight improvement as he battles double pneumonia, but doctors still say his prognosis is still guarded.

The Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns, but not when he is sick.

The Vatican released a statement this morning saying that due to a painful sciatica, Pope Francis would not attend the Vespers in St. Peters today and the 9gmt Mass tomorrow morning as scheduled. (Fabio Frustaci/pool via AP)VATICAN CITY – A back condition has forced Pope Francis to skip New Year’s ceremonies at St. Peter's Basilica, a Vatican spokesman said Thursday. The pope also won’t celebrate Mass in the basilica n New Year’s Day for the same reason, he said. A Vatican cardinal filling in for him read it aloud during the evening vespers service. Instead, the pope cited the oft-told Gospel parable of the good Samaritan, and gave it a pandemic twist.