Pope Francis continues his recovery from double pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli hospital and issued the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer as a written text for the fifth straight week.
The pope typically delivers the Angelus from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square to the gathered faithful, who have grown more numerous due to the Jubilee year that Francis inaugurated in December.
Along with a stop at St Peter’s to seek indulgences by walking through the basilica’s Holy Door, pilgrims are now also adding a stop at Gemelli, some 15 minutes away from the Vatican by car.
In Sunday's prayer, Pope Francis acknowledged the dozens of children toting yellow and white balloons who had gathered outside Gemelli to pray for his recovery.
“I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to Gemelli as a sign of closeness,’’ the pontiff said in the Angelus text prepared for the traditional prayer but not delivered live again.
“Thank you, dearest children! The pope loves you and is always waiting to meet you,’’ Francis said.
The event was organised by Reverend Enzo Fortunato, president of the pontifical committee for World Children's Day. He said that the gathering of children with their parents was as a form of spiritual medicine for the 88-year-old pontiff, calling it ‘’the most beautiful caress.’’
“The children represent a symbolic medicine for Pope Francis,’’ Fortunato said. ‘’Letting him know that so many children are here for him cheers the heart.’’
They included 20 children accompanied by the St. Egidio charity and 50 children accompanied by UNICEF.
Thousands of runners taking part in this year's Rome Marathon on Sunday also paid tribute to the pope. They stood for 42 seconds in silence for Pope Francis, one for every kilometre on the 42 kilometre marathon.
Pope's conditions is stable
Doctors this week said the 88-year-old pontiff was no longer in critical, life-threatening condition, but have continued to emphasise that his condition remained complex due to his age, lack of mobility and the loss of part of a lung as a young man.
Still, they are issuing fewer medical bulletins as the pontiff has been on an upward trajectory. An x-ray this week confirmed that the infection was clearing.
A post was published on his X account at midday on Sunday, saying, "Our bodies are weak but ... nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope."
Pope Francis has not been seen publicly since he was admitted to the hospital on 14 February after a bout of bronchitis that made it difficult for him to speak. Doctors soon added a diagnosis of double pneumonia and a polymcrobial —bacterial, viral and fungal — infection.
The first three weeks of his hospitalisation were marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, including respiratory crises, mild kidney failure and a severe coughing fit.
Doctors in the most recent medical update on Saturday said they were working to reduce the pope’s night-time reliance on the non-invasive ventilation mask, which will allow his lungs to work more.
Doctors underlined that while the pope’s condition is stable, he still requires hospitalisation for both physical and respiratory therapy, which are "showing further gradual improvements,” the Vatican said Saturday in the first medical update in three days.
The next update won’t be issued until the middle of next week, the Vatican said.
