ROME — The Vatican on Sunday launched the primary {photograph} of pope in additional than a month, exhibiting Pope Francis sporting a purple Lenten liturgical vestments sitting in a wheelchair in entrance of an altar within the hospital chapel.
On this image launched by the Vatican Press Corridor Pope Francis celebrates a mass contained in the chapel of the Agostino Gemelli polyclinic in Rome, Sunday, March 16, 2025.
Vatican Press Corridor, Through AP
The Vatican stated he was taking part within the celebration of the Mass with different clergymen. Nobody else is seen within the picture. It’s the first {photograph} of the pope since he was hospitalized on Feb. 14 with a extreme case of bronchitis, which developed into double pneumonia. Additionally it is the primary time the Vatican mentions that the pope has participated in celebrating a Mass within the interval.
Kids’s prayers for the pope
Earlier, dozens of kids toting yellow and white balloons – many from war-torn international locations – gathered exterior Rome’s Gemelli hospital to greet Pope Francis on his fifth Sunday hospitalized. Whereas the pope didn’t seem from the Tenth-floor suite of home windows, he thanked them and acknowledged their presence within the conventional Sunday blessing.
“I do know that many youngsters are praying for me; a few of them got here right here right now to Gemelli as an indication of closeness,” the pontiff stated within the Angelus textual content ready for the standard prayer however not delivered dwell once more. “Thanks, dearest youngsters! The pope loves you and is at all times ready to fulfill you,” Francis stated.
The Rev. Enzo Fortunato, president of the pontifical committee for World Kids’s Day who organized the occasion, stated that the gathering of kids with their mother and father was a type of non secular drugs for the 88-year-old pontiff. He known as it ”probably the most lovely caress.”
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“The kids symbolize a symbolic drugs for Pope Francis,” Fortunato stated. ”Letting him know that so many youngsters are right here for him cheers the center.”
A small group of kids, whose balloons represented the colours of the Vatican flag, briefly entered the hospital to depart behind their drawings, messages and flowers for Francis. Most of the youngsters got here from poorer Italian districts or from international locations impacted by battle, some having arrived in Italy from Afghanistan and Syria by way of humanitarian corridors arrange by the Sant’Egidio charity in settlement with the Italian authorities; others had been from Ukraine, Gaza, South America and Africa.
One in all them was 12-year-old Anastasia, who acquired up at 5 a.m. to make the journey from Naples with the hopes of delivering the message on to the pope. “I wrote, ‘Pope Francis, get effectively and return residence quickly,'” she stated. “We love you, all the youngsters are praying for you.”
‘Pope of the kids’
Andrea Iacomini, the spokesman for UNICEF in Italy, stated moreover demonstrating affection for the pope, the group additionally wished to say “sufficient” to conflicts which can be impacting 500 million youngsters in 59 international locations.
“This pope is not only a non secular chief, he is a superb international chief. A person of peace. This pope is pope of the kids.” Iacomini stated.
Francis sometimes delivers the Angelus from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Sq. to the gathered trustworthy, who’ve grown extra quite a few because of the Jubilee 12 months that Francis inaugurated in December.
Within the written textual content, Francis stated he was considering of others, who like him, are in a fragile state. “Our our bodies are weak, however even like this, nothing can stop us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for one another, in religion, shining indicators of hope,” the pope stated.
Together with a cease at St. Peter’s to hunt indulgences by strolling by means of the basilica’s Holy Door, pilgrims are actually additionally including a cease at Gemelli, a 15-minute prepare experience from the Vatican.
Pope’s situation stays advanced
Medical doctors this week stated the pontiff was not in essential, life-threatening situation, however they’ve continued to emphasise that his situation remained advanced resulting from his age, lack of mobility and the lack of a part of a lung as a younger man.
Nonetheless, they’re issuing fewer medical bulletins because the pontiff has been on an upward trajectory. An X-ray this week confirmed that the an infection was clearing.
Francis has not been seen publicly since he was admitted to the hospital Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis that made it troublesome for him to talk. Medical doctors quickly added a prognosis of double pneumonia and a polymicrobial (bacterial, viral and fungal) an infection.
The primary three weeks of his hospitalization had been marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, together with respiratory crises, delicate kidney failure and a extreme coughing match.
Medical doctors in the latest medical replace on Saturday stated they had been working to scale back the pope’s nighttime reliance on the non-invasive air flow masks, which is able to permit his lungs to work extra.
Medical doctors underlined that whereas the pope’s situation is secure, he nonetheless requires hospitalization for therapy together with bodily and respiratory remedy, that are “exhibiting additional gradual enhancements,” the Vatican stated Saturday within the first medical replace in three days.
The subsequent replace will not be issued till mid-week, the Vatican stated.
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Related Press video journalist Francesca Primavilla contributed to this report.
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