Pope says ‘thank you’ for prayers in recorded message

It was the first time the public had heard Francis’ voice since his hospitalisation on 14 February. 

A recorded message of thanks from Pope Francis for prayers for his recovery was broadcast in St Peter’s Square on Thursday evening.

“I thank you with all my heart for the prayers you offer for my health from the square,” he said, speaking faintly in Spanish. “I accompany you from here. May God bless you and may the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”

Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, announced the message from the Pope ahead of the nightly Rosary for the Pope in St Peter’s Square, which Rome’s cardinals have led since 24 February. 

It was the first time the public had heard Francis’ voice since his hospitalisation on 14 February. Matteo Ricci, the director of the Holy See Press Office, said the message was broadcast at the Pope’s request because “he feels as if he is ‘carried’ and supported by the whole People of God”.

The Vatican’s statement on the Pope’s clinical condition released earlier that evening said he “remained stable with regard to the previous days”, again without any breathing crises like those he suffered on Monday, as he continued treatment for double pneumonia.

He benefited from respiratory and motor physiotherapy, it said, while tests of his blood and blood flow returned stable results. He did “several work activities” in the morning and spent the afternoon at rest and prayer.

The Pope’s doctors continued to reserve his prognosis, but the Vatican’s statement said that because of “the stability of the clinical picture” there would be no equivalent detailed medical bulletin on Friday evening, as there has been each day in the three weeks since he was admitted to the Gemelli Hospital. It still issued a statement on Friday morning saying he had “a peaceful night” and woke shortly after 8am.

Among the good wishes sent to Pope Francis from around the world, the students of Bethlehem University, a Catholic university in the West Bank, wrote a letter “to express our solidarity, support and prayers for your healing”. They referred to his letter to them in Advent encouraging encounter and asking that they “never seek to ‘go it alone’”.

“We do not want you to ‘go it alone’ either,” they said. “We raise our united voice in prayer for your speedy recovery in order to keep raising your voice for peace, for justice, and for the respect of the dignity of every human being. We are grateful for your witness to God’s love.”

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles released a video of messages from Californian Catholics wishing the Pope well, recalling his prayers for the city during January’s wildfires.

Pope Francis continues treatment ‘as planned’

John Paul II stayed in the Gemelli hospital so often that he dubbed it his Vatican III

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