Candles are laid on the statue of John Paul II on the Gemelli College Hospital the place Pope Francis is hospitalized with pneumonia, in Rome on March 6, 2025. (AFP)
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis spent a “calm night time” as he marked three weeks in hospital with pneumonia, the Vatican stated Friday, the day after the 88-year-old issued his first audio message.
The Holy See had on Thursday night reported the pontiff’s situation was “secure” for the third day in a row, with no repeat of the respiratory crises which have punctuated his time at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
It then launched an audio recording made earlier within the day by which Francis, breathless, thanked those that have been praying for his restoration.
“I thanks from the underside of my coronary heart to your prayers for my well being from the Sq., I accompany you from right here,” the Argentine stated in a message broadcast in St Peter’s Sq..
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“Could God bless you and the Virgin shield you. Thanks,” he stated, taking laboured breaths as he spoke in his native Spanish.
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It was the primary time the world has heard Francis’s voice since he was admitted to the Gemelli hospital, which has a particular suite for popes on the tenth flooring, on February 14.
‘Good signal’
Pilgrims have been gathering in St Peter’s Sq. on the Vatican each night to wish for the pope’s restoration, and tons of of individuals there on Thursday applauded after they heard his message.
“We have been very blissful that he might communicate,” stated John Maloney, a 76-year-old English pilgrim.
“It’s an excellent signal that he’s truly capable of communicate,” he instructed AFP, including: “He’s acquired an extended approach to go so he’s within the arms of God.”
However for Claudia Bianchi, a 50-year-old Italian from Rome, “It struck me to listen to him so drained”.
“It was a optimistic signal, so it offers us hope that he nonetheless has the power to talk. And he all the time appears to wish to be with us,” added one other Rome native, Alessandra Dalboni, 53.
The Vatican stated earlier Thursday that Francis, head of the worldwide Catholic Church since 2013, is in a “secure” situation with no repeat of Monday’s respiratory failure..
Francis continued together with his respiratory workout routines and physiotherapy, didn’t have a fever, and managed to do a bit of labor in each the morning and afternoon, it stated.
The Vatican has been offering twice day by day updates on the pope’s well being, a morning one on how the night time went, and a night medical bulletin.
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However on Thursday it stated that “in view of the soundness of the medical image, the following medical bulletin will likely be launched on Saturday”.
Nonetheless, “the docs are nonetheless sustaining a reserved prognosis”, it stated, which means they won’t say how they anticipate his situation to evolve.