Pope Francis has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the faithful for their prayers as he continues to recover from a severe case of pneumonia.
"I deeply appreciate your prayers for my health from the Square; I am here to accompany you." May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you,” the pope said.
His message, recorded from Policlinico Gemelli, where he has been hospitalized for the past three weeks, carried a deep sense of appreciation despite his weak and labored voice.
Spoken in Italian, his words echoed through St. Peter’s Square, resonating with the thousands gathered:
“Vi ringrazio di cuore per le vostre preghiere per la mia salute dalla piazza; vi accompagno da qui. Che Dio vi benedica e la Vergine vi protegga. Grazie.”
(I deeply appreciate your prayers for my health from the square, and I am here to accompany you. May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”)
Applause and visible emotion greeted Pope Francis' first public speech since his hospitalization in St. Peter's Square.
The Rosary on March 6 was led by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, who emphasized the power of communal prayer in supporting the Holy Father’s recovery.
Since February 24, the nightly recitation of the Rosary for Pope Francis has continued each evening at 9:00 PM in St. Peter’s Square. Cardinals, members of the Roman Curia, and thousands of faithful have united in prayer, demonstrating a global outpouring of solidarity for the Pope during his convalescence.
Despite his fragile condition, Pope Francis’ brief message served as a powerful symbol of resilience and connection with the Catholic community. His words of gratitude reflected his spiritual closeness to the faithful and his deep reliance on prayer and divine protection during this challenging time.
As his health gradually improves, the Vatican has yet to announce a definitive timeline for his return to public appearances. However, his words reaffirm his unwavering faith and commitment to accompanying the Church, even from his hospital bed.
For now, the prayers continue, and the world awaits the moment when Pope Francis will again greet the faithful in person from St. Peter’s Square.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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