VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis`s condition remained stable but complex on Friday as he battles pneumonia in hospital, the Vatican said, a day after releasing an audio message in which the 88-year-old sounded weak and breathless.

The message broadcast to pilgrims in St Peter`s Square on Thursday evening was the first time the world had heard the pope`s voice since he was admitted to Rome`s Gemelli hospital on Feb 14.

The Argentine pontiff has suffered several respiratory crises since his admission, most recently on Monday.

Amid increasingly lurid online speculation, fuelled by the absence of any photos of the pope, the Holy See on released a short audio message recorded by Pope Francis on Thursday.

`I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square. I accompany you from here,` the pope said, sounding weakand taking laboured breaths.

The Argentine spoke in his native Spanish, drawing speculation he could not muster the strength to speak in Italian, which is used for official Vatican business.

But a Vatican source insisted Pope Francis wanted to speak in a language that would have a wider audience.

The source confirmed the pope`s status on Friday was `stable in a complex picture`.

He continues to switch between an oxygen mask at night and a cannula a plastic tube tucking into the nostrils delivering high-flow oxygen during the day, and is doing physiotherapy.

`Good sign` When the message was broadcastin the squarein front of St Peter`s Basilica, where prayers have been held every evening for the pope, applause broke out among the hundreds of pilgrims gathered there.-AFP