Pope Francis, in a message from Gemelli Hospital, asked for prayers for peace in the conflict areas of the world. In the message, published by the Vatican at noon Rome time, on Sunday, Feb. 16, he also invited people to pray for the medical staff that is caring for him.
Shortly after the publication of the pope’s message, the Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, told journalists, “He slept well last night, had breakfast this morning as usual, and read some newspapers. The therapy continues.” Yesterday, the medical team caring for the 88-year old pope prescribed a period of “complete rest” to facilitate his recovery from an infection of the respiratory tract. The infection is being treated with a “pharmacological therapy,” which doctors say will take some days to take full effect.
In a medical update issued just before 6.00 p.m. local time today, the Vatican reaffirmed that the pope had “rested well during the night” [of Feb.15], and said the pope’s “clinical conditions are stable.” This means, among other things, that his breathing is stable, which is “a good sign,” according to Anna Lisa Bilotta, an Italian doctor consulted by America, who works in another hospital and is not treating the pope.
The Vatican statement said that the Gemelli doctors are continuing with “the diagnostic process and therapy prescribed,” as described in earlier bulletins. The statement also said that Pope Francis received the Eucharist this Sunday morning and followed Mass on television. It added that this afternoon “he alternated between reading and resting.”
Before the Vatican released the latest update on the pope’s health, ANSA, the main Italian news agency, quoted Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals as saying, “The pope is improving, and recovering well.” This was the most positive comment regarding the pope's health from a top-level Vatican source since Francis was admitted to hospital on Feb.14.
Because of his need to rest, Pope Francis could not recite the Angelus prayer today, for the second time in his 12-year pontificate.
In his brief message, the pope also extended his greetings to the thousands of artists who had come to celebrate their Jubilee in Rome this weekend. He told them, “I would have liked to be among you, but I am here at the Gemelli Hospital because I still need some treatment for my bronchitis.” He went on to emphasize “the importance of art as a universal language that spreads beauty and unites peoples, contributing to bringing harmony into the world and silencing every cry of war.”
Pope Francis was scheduled to preside at the Mass for the Jubilee of Artists in St. Peter’s Basilica this morning and had prepared a homily for the occasion. In his absence, the homily was read by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendoça, the Portuguese prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, who also presided at the celebration of the Eucharist, and asked the congregation to pray for the pope’s recovery.
“I greet all the pilgrims present in Rome today, the pope said in his message, and, as he does often, he urged them to pray for an end to the conflicts in the world. “I invite everyone to continue to pray for peace in tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel and all the Middle East, Myanmar, Kivu and Sudan,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to all those across the world who are praying for him during his hospitalization. “Thank you for the affection, prayer and closeness with which you are accompanying me in these days,” he said. “I would like to thank the doctors and healthcare workers in this hospital for their care: they do such a valuable and tiring job, let us support them with prayer!”
He concluded his message by encouraging people to entrust themselves to Our Lady, “that she may help us be, like her, chorists and creators of the beauty that saves the world.”
Updated Feb. 16 at 12:56 p.m. to include the Vatican's most recent statement.
