Pope Francis, hospitalized since February 14 with a lung infection and double pneumonia, penned a letter to Corriere della Sera’s editor, published Tuesday, reflecting on how his illness has sharpened his view of war’s “absurdity.”

Dated March 14 from Gemelli Hospital, the 88-year-old pontiff urged diplomacy to revive international credibility and emphasized words’ power to shape humanity—calling to “disarm” them for peace. “Human fragility makes us lucid about what endures and what kills,” he wrote.

The letter coincided with slight health improvements: Francis spent a second day off high-flow oxygen, using only a nasal tube, and skipped the ventilation mask overnight for the first time in weeks. The Vatican offered no release timeline but reported progress. Meanwhile, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s No. 2, dismissed resignation rumors Monday, saying “absolutely no” after visiting Francis, whom he found improved since February 25.

Buckingham Palace announced King Charles III’s planned April 8 Vatican visit to meet Francis, pending his recovery, though the Vatican declined immediate confirmation. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the first outsider to see Francis post-hospitalization, relayed the Senate’s ovation and recovery wishes Tuesday.

A Sunday photo—the first since his admission—showed Francis praying in his wheelchair, sans oxygen tubes, suggesting controlled messaging akin to his soft March 6 audio thanks.

Unlike St. John Paul II’s public frailty, Francis limits exposure. At Gemelli, reactions varied: Rev. Enrico Antonio welcomed the reassuring image, while Benedetta Flagiello questioned its authenticity, noting Francis hasn’t appeared at his 10th-floor window. The developments underscore a pope balancing recovery, leadership, and global influence amid personal and geopolitical trials.