Pope Francis had a good night’s rest early Monday after apparently overcoming a setback in his recovery from pneumonia: He is stable, off mechanical ventilation and shows no sign of new infection following a respiratory crisis late last week.

Doctors have removed a mechanical ventilator from Pope Francis as the pontiff continues to recover from a respiratory infection that put him in the hospital in critical condition, the Vatican announced Sunday.

Pope Francis rested well overnight and is in a stable condition as he fights double pneumonia in hospital for the 18th day, the Vatican said on Monday. The 88-year-old pontiff no longer requires the use of mechanical ventilation to breathe and has been without a fever,