Pope Francis observed the 12th anniversary of his pontificate on Thursday from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for pneumonia for nearly a month. Hospital staff commemorated the occasion by presenting the 88-year-old pope with a cake decorated with candles. Additionally, he received hundreds of drawings, messages, and letters from children and well-wishers worldwide.
To mark the anniversary, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin offered a Mass for the pope on Friday morning in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace, attended by members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. The liturgy was broadcast live via Vatican Media at 10:30 a.m. local time. Catholics are invited to gather in St. Peter’s Square on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. to pray the rosary for the pope’s recovery.
According to the Vatican, the pope’s clinical condition remains stable yet complex, with ongoing noninvasive mechanical ventilation at night and high-flow oxygenation during the day.
Further live updates on Pope Francis’ health condition can be found here at the Catholic News Agency website.