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,

At Ash Wednesday services there was special consideration for the leader of the church, Pope Francis, as he remains hospitalized.

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