In winning the guild’s top award Sunday, Edward Berger’s Vatican-set drama triumphed just as the Catholic Church was praying for the health of Pope Francis.

Another woman is taking over a top management job in the Vatican: Sister Raffaella Petrini, an Italian nun, was named Saturday as president of the Vatican City State, making her essentially the governor of the 44-hectare (108-acre) territory in Rome that is home to the Catholic Church.

In winning the guild’s top award, Edward Berger’s Vatican-set drama triumphed just as the Catholic Church was praying for the health of Pope Francis, who remained in critical condition Sunday after an asthmatic respiratory...

His age and prolonged illness have raised questions about whether he might resign, and revived interest about how papal power is exercised in the Holy See.

Pope Francis' age and prolonged illness have revived interest in how papal power is exercised in the Holy See, how it is transferred and under what circumstances.

Francis' age and prolonged illness has revived interest about how papal power is exercised in the Holy See, how it is transferred and under what circumstances.

Pope Francis continued his recovery from pneumonia Tuesday as the Vatican set in motion a nightly marathon of prayers from “his house” and allies cheered him on from afar in hopes that he might recover and get back to leading the Catholic Church.

Despite his hospitalization, the pope has maintained a degree of governance and authorized the appointment of four new bishops.

The Vatican, though, made alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, making clear Francis still had a long road ahead. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 ceremony and procession that inaugurates the church’s solemn Lenten season leading up to Easter in April.

As Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s No. 2, led prayers for 45 minutes on a chilly, rainy night Monday, the faithful fingered rosary beads while hoping for Francis’ recovery. The Vatican issued a dose of optimism earlier in the evening, delivering a more upbeat health bulletin than in recent days.

The Catholic world was thrown into uncertainty earlier this month when Pope Francis was taken to hospital with a respiratory tract infection. Over the following days, the 88-year-old pontiff’s infection spiralled into pneumonia in both lungs and kidney failure.