Tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray for the ailing Pope Francis, expressing their sorrow for his illness, their hope for his recovery, and their gratitude for his guidance of the Catholic Church towards a new direction.
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03-14, 2025The 88-year-old Pope is suffering from pneumonia in both lungs, and although he has shown slight improvement after 11 days in the hospital, his condition remains critical. The Vatican said earlier on Tuesday (Tuesday evening Australian Eastern Daylight Time) that he "slept well, all night."
On a cold and rainy Monday evening (early Tuesday Australian Eastern Daylight Time), Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican's second-in-command, led the crowd in a 45-minute prayer, with believers fingering rosaries and praying for Francis's recovery. The Vatican released a more optimistic health bulletin earlier that day than in recent days, giving people a glimmer of hope.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the memorial square remained somber, with the approximately 4,000 people gathered aware that they may be spending Francis's last days in Rome. The crowd sat on folding chairs, held umbrellas, or stood by the huge colonnades, fondly recalling the Pope's merits.
"It's heartbreaking to see him suffer," said Robert Petro, a Romanian seminary student, standing among the praying crowd, holding a small, fragrant candle as a sign of respect. "But we also pray for everything he has done for the Church, expressing our gratitude." Father Roberto Ellison from Guadalajara, Mexico, said that members of his community gathered to express their gratitude for "everything we have learned from him."
At the end of the ceremony, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco paused to offer personal blessings to some, saying that the diversity of the crowd – many world languages could be heard – was "a great comfort" to the Catholic Church.
The Argentine Pope, who had part of a lung removed when he was younger, has been hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital since February 14. Doctors said that given his age, frailty, and pre-existing lung disease, his condition fluctuates. But in the latest update on Monday, they said that he had not experienced any further respiratory crises since Saturday, and the supplemental oxygen he was using was continuing, but the oxygen flow and concentration had been slightly reduced.
A Catholic tourist couple from Chicago, who arrived with umbrellas long before the ceremony began, said that they had prayed for the Pope during the daily Mass held earlier in St. Peter's Basilica and decided to return. Like many, they found it "hard to accept" that they might be spending Francis's last days in Rome. "No one knows the day or the hour, but it's still a historic moment," said Edward Budjeck.
Hazumi Villanueva from Peru felt the same way. She especially liked former Pope Saint John Paul II but said that Francis, as the first Latin American Pope, "brought us closer together." "We came to pray for the Pope, for his speedy recovery, and for the great mission he has undertaken for the message of peace he shares," Villanueva said, praising his compassion for immigrants.
Francis's papacy has also emphasized the protection of the environment and a partial openness to LGBTQ+ rights. Outside the Vatican, Romans, pilgrims, and even non-Catholics have said that they are offering special prayers for the hospitalized Pope. "We all feel sad," said Raniero Mancinelli, who tailors liturgical vestments for Francis and the two previous Popes in his shop outside the Vatican walls.
Elisabetta Zumbo, carrying a 1.5-meter-long cross, walked along a section of barricade on the street leading to St. Peter's Square, preparing to lead 34 pilgrims from the northern Italian city of Piacenza. In the pouring rain, she assured that her group would offer intense prayers for the Pope. "There is a lot of emotion and a lot of sadness," Zumbo said.
Nearby, a couple from London, visiting St. Peter's Basilica with their son, said that even though they are not Catholic, they felt close to the Pope "in his home" in this magnificent church.
