Pope Francis presides over Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome on Feb. 14, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Feb 25, 2025 / 10:55 am (CNA).

In his message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of living one’s life as a constant journey of conversion, choosing to walk in peace and hope aside one’s fellow humans.

“May the hope that does not disappoint, the central message of the jubilee, be the focus of our Lenten journey toward the victory of Easter,” the pope said in the message, released Tuesday. 

He also quoted St. Paul’s exclamation in the first letter to the Corinthians: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 

Though Francis is in Gemelli Hospital to receive treatment for multiple respiratory infections, his Lenten message is dated Feb. 6, well ahead of his hospitalization on Feb. 14. 

The season of Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 5. The Vatican said the pope continues to carry out some work duties with the help of his secretaries while in the hospital.

In his message, the pontiff wrote that this Lent is an opportunity to consider three areas where one may be in greater need of conversion: journeying with others, being synodal, and having hope.

“A first call to conversion,” he said, “comes from the realization that all of us are pilgrims in this life; each of us is invited to stop and ask how our lives reflect this fact. Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?”

On the virtue of hope, Pope Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which calls hope the “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” 

“Thanks to God’s love in Jesus Christ, we are sustained in the hope that does not disappoint,” the pope said, adding that hope “moves the Church to pray for ‘everyone to be saved’ (1 Tm 2:4) and to look forward to her being united with Christ, her bridegroom, in the glory of heaven.”

He recalled a prayer of St. Teresa of Ávila, to “hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one.”

Francis said a good Lenten exercise and examination of conscience would be to compare one’s life to a migrant or foreigner, “to learn how to sympathize with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us so that we can better advance on our journey to the house of the Father.”

He also encouraged Catholics to be more synodal by journeying with others while avoiding self-absorption, exclusion, oppressing and excluding others, or being envious and hypocritical.

“Let us all walk in the same direction, tending toward the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience,” he urged.

Pope Francis said the call to hope and trust in God and in eternal life is also an important aspect of Lenten conversion. Some questions to ponder include: “Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded?”

“This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs,” he said.

Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas is apostoolic nuncio to Ukraine. / Credit: Courtesy of the nuncio

Vatican City, Feb 24, 2025 / 16:05 pm (CNA).

Monday, Feb. 24, marked three years of Ukrainian resistance against the Russian invasion. According to U.N. data, more than 12,600 civilians have died in the conflict, including more than 2,400 children. In addition, more than 10% of the country’s housing stock has been damaged or destroyed, causing more than 2 million families to be displaced.

In this context, the apostolic nuncio in Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, emphasized that, despite the pain and devastation, hope remains the only refuge for those suffering from the war.

“Pope Francis has proclaimed the Jubilee Year of Hope, and in such a horrible war, there is nothing left but hope. Military chaplains tell us that soldiers are grateful for any message of hope, because it is the only thing they have left,” Kulbokas said in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

Speaking at the apostolic nunciature in Kyiv, the representative of the Holy See in Ukraine described a country marked by suffering. “This weekend, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the war, we have many visits and events. For us, however, it’s not a special date, because every day is a day of war,” he said.

The normalization of the conflict has led Ukrainians to adapt psychologically to the violence. “I remember the first weeks of 2022, when the bishops spoke dramatically, not knowing whether they would live to see the next day. Now we have more psychological peace to live with, although the war is more intense and dramatic than at the beginning,” he explained.

Archbishop Visvaldas Kubokas with local Catholics who put on a live Nativity scene at the nunciature. Credit: Courtesy of the apostolic nuncio

However, everyday life remains shocking. “I no longer remember the last night without a drone attack. Missile strikes are more sporadic, but drone attacks occur daily,” he lamented.

One of the aspects that most worries the apostolic nuncio is the situation of the prisoners of war and civilian detainees held by Russia. “Thousands of prisoners are suffering under inhumane conditions,” he decried.

The nuncio recalled, for example, the testimony of Ludmila, a 60-year-old woman who spent almost three years in a Russian prison. “For weeks she was tortured without being allowed to sleep, to the point of not being able to distinguish truth from lies. She ended up signing documents without knowing what she was doing,” he related.

The lack of mechanisms for releasing civilians held in prison further aggravates the crisis. “For the military there is a system of exchange, but for civilians there is not. Their situation is much more desperate,” he noted.

Vatican diplomacy has played a fundamental role in the humanitarian field. For example, in tandem with the international initiative “Bring Kids Back UA,” the Holy See has managed, in a discreet way, to bring back several dozen children deported by the Russian occupation forces.

In these three years of war, Kulbokas said, Pope Francis has managed to establish a kind of mechanism to negotiate the return to Ukraine of many children deported to Russia by the occupation forces.

The president of the Italian bishops’ conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis’ envoy working for peace in Ukraine, has played a fundamental role in this mission, the nuncio told ACI Prensa.

Zuppi “maintains contact with the Ukrainian and Russian authorities to address the issue of deported children and prisoners. The process is slow, since it sometimes takes months to obtain information about the minors,” Kulbokas explained.

However, with the detained civilians, efforts come up against a fundamental obstacle: “Russia considers many of them Russian citizens, which makes it difficult to apply international structures for their release. The only way is persuasion, dialogue with the Russian authorities to demonstrate that these people are civilians and must be released.”

The role of the international community and the future of the war

Kulbokas unequivocally criticized the ineffectiveness of the international community in finding a solution to the conflict. “There are no international structures capable of resolving the war. At the beginning, Europe may have thought that this conflict was not its problem, but when wars are not taken seriously, the conflict grows. If wars are not stopped at the outset, it’s too late later on.”

Despite the bitterness of the conflict, the apostolic nuncio maintains hope for a diplomatic solution. “In order for the conditions to be met that would put serious negotiations on the table, it’s necessary that there not be not just one or two global actors to decide. Peace in Ukraine must be a matter for the entire international community,” he indicated.

Meanwhile, Ukraine faces growing uncertainty about the support of the United States, the country that has supported it the most in recent years. The Trump administration recently ramped up its rhetoric against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

However, the Vatican diplomat avoided entering into polemics over statements by Trump. “The Catholic faithful in Ukraine feel that they cannot trust politicians, because they say one thing one day and another the next. What they expect from the Church is a clear moral position: That aggression is not justified and that life is defended,” he affirmed.

Kulbokas emphasized that the mission of the Church is another: “The important thing is to proclaim the Gospel, which is life, peace, respect, and justice.”

Despite the uncertainty and pain, the Vatican diplomat reiterated that international mediation is the only solution. “If we leave it to the great powers alone to decide, the solution will not be just. The only hope is for the international community to unite to put an end to this and other wars,” he concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

The Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. / Credit: Hannah Brockhaus/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Feb 24, 2025 / 15:35 pm (CNA).

Feb. 24 marks three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a major escalation of a war that began in 2014, and it was marked with a day of prayer announced and organized by the Ukrainian embassy to the Holy See in Rome, according to Vatican News.

The Pan-Ukrainian Day of Prayer included a Mass for peace at St. John Lateran Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope’s vicar for the Diocese of Rome, and included Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches and former nuncio to Ukraine.

During the Mass, the prayers of the faithful were read by the ambassadors of Chile, Poland, Lithuania, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Hungary, while the dean of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Ambassador George Poulides of Cyprus, read the first reading from the Book of Sirach.

Thanks to mediation by the Holy See, two Redemptorist priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church — Father Bohdan Geleta and Father Ivan Levytsky, who were arrested on Nov. 16, 2022, by Russian forces — were released on June 28, 2024.

In a meeting organized with the participation of Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, apostolic nuncio to Ukraine, Geleta said he was able to endure the pain thanks to his faith in God and the offering of his suffering to “save his enemies” — although he admitted that this resolution was “very difficult in an environment of brutal contempt for the human person, where one has the constant feeling of being in a place of death.” 

Geleta said that God helped him to resist, adding that he was “very tormented by the fact that other prisoners who did not know God could not bear everything and there were cases of suicide and other painful things.”

“All this will remain in my memory and I will never forget those groans, those agonies, every type of mistreatment,” he said. “But I also dedicate it for the salvation of others, to testify that only God can sanctify us if we take a step from darkness to light.”

The two priests were the only civilians among 1,800 prisoners in the war prison. Geleta said he was able to hear confessions and even able to hold short prayers in the mornings and evenings. 

Kulbokas said these are signs of humanity in a terrible situation and that “this dialogue here between us is a dialogue of prayer.” 

A statue of St. John Paul II is seen in front of the entrance to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 22, 2025, where Pope Francis continues to receive treatment for respiratory issues. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Feb 24, 2025 / 14:35 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis’ condition remains serious but has shown “slight improvement” as he continues treatment on his 11th day in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican said Monday evening.

The 88-year-old pontiff is still receiving oxygen therapy through his nose, though at a slightly reduced flow and concentration, according to the Holy See Press Office.

Doctors reported no further episodes of respiratory distress following a “respiratory crisis” on Saturday. Some of the pope’s laboratory tests have improved, and his “mild kidney insufficiency” remains under observation but is not a cause for concern, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis received the Eucharist on Monday morning and resumed some work in the afternoon. Later in the day, he called the parish priest in Gaza to express his solidarity.

Prayers for the pope’s recovery have continued worldwide since he was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 with bronchitis. Concerns over his health escalated over the weekend when the Vatican reported that he had suffered “an asthma-like respiratory crisis of prolonged intensity” while suffering from pneumonia in both of his lungs. The episode required high-flow oxygen therapy, and the pope received a blood transfusion for platelet deficiency.

At Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where Francis is being treated, the chaplain led prayers and Eucharistic adoration at the St. John Paul II Chapel on Monday, followed by a Mass.

On February 24, prayers for Pope Francis continued at Gemelli Hospital, where the Holy Father remains hospitalized. In the St. John Paul II Chapel, Adoration was led by the chaplain at noon, followed by Holy Mass.
Let's continue to pray for Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/ZCZm5mskYg

— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) February 24, 2025

On Monday evening, Catholics will gather in St. Peter’s Square to pray the rosary for the pope, led by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. It marks the first of a series of nightly rosary prayers for the pope at 9 p.m. this week led by members of the College of Cardinals living in Rome.

“Pope Francis thanks all the faithful who have gathered to pray for his health in recent days,” the Vatican said in its statement.

A candlelight Stations of the Cross in St. Peter’s Square on Good Friday 2021. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Newsroom, Feb 24, 2025 / 07:32 am (CNA).

The Vatican announced Monday that cardinals will lead a nightly rosary in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’ recovery, with the first prayer service scheduled for 9 p.m. Rome time on Monday evening.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will preside over the inaugural gathering, which will be broadcast live across EWTN’s television networks and digital platforms.

“Starting this evening, the cardinals residing in Rome, along with all collaborators of the Roman Curia and the Diocese of Rome, responding to the sentiments of the people of God, will gather in St. Peter’s Square at 9 p.m. to recite the holy rosary for the health of the Holy Father,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

The prayer initiative comes as the 88-year-old pontiff continues his recovery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was admitted on Feb. 14 for what the Vatican then described as a mild flu condition.

During his Sunday Angelus message, which was read on his behalf, the pope expressed gratitude for the “closeness and prayers” he has received during his hospitalization.

The Vatican reported Monday that Pope Francis had a “peaceful night” at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he continues to receive medical treatment.

While Vatican sources said the pope was “in good spirits” and following his prescribed therapies, his condition remains critical, with the Holy Father receiving supplemental oxygen through nasal tubes and being monitored for mild early-stage kidney insufficiency.

The pope has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 and experienced a concerning respiratory episode on Saturday that required a blood transfusion due to anemia. The Vatican said both conditions are currently under control, with an additional medical update expected Monday evening.

The rosary will be available on EWTN’s television channels worldwide and through the network’s digital platforms, including its mobile app and YouTube channel.

The College of Cardinals celebrates Mass March 12, 2013, before entering the Sistine Chapel for the papal conclave. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Feb 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The retirement on Jan. 25 of Cardinal Oswald Gracias as archbishop of Bombay and the end of the 30-year “reign” of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn as archbishop of Vienna have triggered a vast generational turnover in the Roman Curia and around the world.

The sweeping changes involve the cardinal residential bishops, with seven of them reaching 75 years of age in 2025; in the Roman Curia, there will be eight cardinal heads of dicasteries who will exceed or have already exceeded the limit of 75 years of age during 2025. 

There is additionally a very special case in the Diocese of Rome. On Jan. 28, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Paolo Ricciardi, auxiliary bishop of Rome, to be bishop of the small Italian Diocese of Jesi. His departure marked the next step in what has been nearly a complete overhaul of the diocese. 

Diocese of Rome  

Pope Francis has changed the entire leadership of the Diocese of Rome. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope’s vicar for the Diocese of Rome, is currently left with only three auxiliary bishops: Renato Tarantelli Baccari, whom the pope has also appointed vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome; Benoni Ambarus; and Michele Di Tolve.

Baccari is the only territorial auxiliary covering Rome’s southern sector. Ambarus is auxiliary with a delegation for Charity, Migrants, Roma, and Sinti (a nomadic people primarily living in Central Europe), while Di Tolve is an auxiliary with a special delegation for seminaries. 

Therefore, two of the four sectors into which the territory of the Diocese of Rome is divided remain vacant: the eastern sector — until now entrusted to Ricciardi — and the north, entrusted to Bishop Daniele Salera. Baccari leads the southern sector, and the western sector is led by Reina.  

In the last year, Rome has lost five auxiliaries, including Reina himself, who had been transferred to Italy or the Vatican to take on other roles. 

In addition to Ricciardi, the auxiliaries who have been reassigned are: Bishop Riccardo Lamba, appointed archbishop of Udine; Bishop Daniele Libanori, appointed pope’s assessor for consecrated life; Bishop Dario Gervasi, appointed adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life; and Salera, appointed bishop of Ivrea. 

The reorganization of the Diocese of Rome began in 2024 with the transfer of the cardinal vicar of Rome, Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, to the far less influential office of major penitentiary. The Office of the Penitentiary is the office of the most ancient tribunal of the Roman Curia. It is one of the three ordinary tribunals of the Holy See, and it is a tribunal of mercy. The penitentiary mostly deals with issues related to the forgiveness of sins. As important as it is for the Catholic Church, it is certainly a less influential post than the vicar of the Diocese of Rome, who administers the pope’s diocese in the most important Italian city.

The latest cardinal successions 

In 2025, there have already been three cardinal archiepiscopal sees that have seen successions: the Archdiocese of Washington, which will be entrusted to Cardinal Robert McElroy; the Archdiocese of Vienna, for now entrusted to an apostolic administrator sede vacante; and the Archdiocese of Mumbai (Bombay), which will be led by John Rodrigues, who was appointed just two months after he was nominated coadjutor and just two days after taking possession of his new post. 

Gracias, who turned 80 in December, would as a result typically lose his position on the Council of Cardinals. Nothing, however, has been said about this. Pope Francis may wait until spring when Cardinal Fernando Vérgez, president of the Vatican City State administration, will also turn 80. At that point, the pope could reshuffle the Council of Cardinals, replacing Vergez, Gracias, and Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston (who also turned 80 last year). Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, England, meanwhile, will turn 80 in November.

The residential cardinals 

Meanwhile, the new year brings a group of prominent cardinals turning 75, the age at which they are required to submit their letters of resignation to the Holy Father. The pope, of course, has the option of whether and when to accept their retirements. 

On Jan. 9, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, archbishop of Mexico City, was the first residential cardinal in 2025 to turn 75. Pope Francis has chosen to defer his retirement indefinitely. 

On Feb. 6, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, reached retirement age, and on Feb. 28, Cardinal Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, made a cardinal only in the last consistory, will do the same. 

On June 23, Cardinal Orani Joao Tempesta, who leads the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, will have to present his resignation due to age limits, and on July 9 it will be the turn of Cardinal Ignatius Suharjo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Jakarta. On Sept. 1, Cardinal Oscar Cantoni, bishop of Como, Italy, turns 75, and Cardinal Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, archbishop of Manaus, reaches retirement age on Nov. 6. 

They are joined by two cardinals who are already retired and who will turn 75 in 2025: Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop emeritus of Warsaw, Poland, and Philippe Barbarin, archbishop emeritus of Lyon, France. 

There is also a large group of residential cardinals who turned 75 over the last few years. They include: Cardinal Alvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri, 77, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala; Cardinal Albert Ranjith Patabendige Don, 77; Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez, 76, of Havana, Cuba; Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, CM, 76, of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, 75; Cardinal James Michael Harvey, 75, archpriest of St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica; Nichols, 79, archbishop of Westminster; and Cardinal Juan Josè Omella Omella, 78, archbishop of Barcelona.

The Roman Curia 

Aside from Cardinal Fernando Vergez, there are several heads of dicasteries in the Roman Curia who are approaching 80 or who have also passed the age of 75 and so could be replaced. They include Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko, archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, who will turn 80 in July and is expected to be succeeded by recently created Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, currently coadjutor archpriest; Cardinal Michael Czerny, the 78-year-old prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who is expected to serve at least until he turns 80; Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, who is 77; and Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, who is also 77. 

There are three top positions in the Roman Curia whose holders will reach the age of 75 and could thus be replaced. On March 6, Cardinal Arthur Roche turns 75, having been prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments since 2021.  

On March 15, Cardinal Kurt Koch will turn 75. Koch has led since 2010 the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity — called the Pontifical Council until the reform of the Curia in 2022. On March 24, Archbishop Vincenzo Zani will also reach retirement age: He has been archivist and librarian of the Holy See since 2022. 

Finally, two cardinals who serve as nuncios, Cardinal Mario Zenari, nuncio to Syria, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, nuncio to the United States, are both 79 but are expected to remain at their diplomatic posts until they turn 80.   

The College of Cardinals 

In 2025, 14 cardinals will leave the list of cardinal electors, while in 2024, there were 13. This is a substantial generational turnover, which could also change the composition of the conclave. 

It should not be forgotten that this January the five-year term of office of the dean and sub-dean of the College of Cardinals expires. These are Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 90, and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81. There are no precedents because it is the first time that the heads of the College of Cardinals have been appointed to five-year terms. It is, therefore, impossible to predict how long it will take for the successions. 

Feb. 14 marked 10 years since the second consistory of Pope Francis. As known, cardinals are divided in three ranks: cardinals bishops, cardinals priests, and cardinals deacons. These three ranks mirror the ancient division of a cardinal’s duty. Cardinal bishops are entrusted with the ancient suburbicarian Diocese of Rome — though Pope Francis expanded the order in 2018, including some personal appointments. Cardinals priests were in Church of Rome churches, and cardinal deacons were in charge of the administration of the six offices of the Roman Palace and of the seven departments of the Diocese of Rome.

After 10 years, in fact, cardinal deacons can opt to pass to the order of cardinal presbyters, as established by the Code of Canon Law, in Canon 350, paragraphs 5 and 6.

This means that at the first consistory, the French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, should leave the office of cardinal protodeacon to Zenari, apostolic nuncio to Syria. The cardinal protodeacon is the one who announces the “habemus papam.”

Likewise, Zenari could opt for the order of cardinal presbyters in November 2026, the 10th anniversary of the pope’s third consistory. It will then eventually be Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life and cardinal camerlengo, who will have the title of cardinal protodeacon.

Get-well cards from schoolchildren to Pope Francis are seen at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 / Credit: ACI Stampa

CNA Staff, Feb 23, 2025 / 14:40 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis on Sunday was flooded with get-well cards and hand-drawn greetings from schoolchildren in Rome as the Holy Father continues to battle a series of medical emergencies in the city’s Gemelli Hospital.

The pope was admitted to the hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced Feb. 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion.

The pontiff’s condition “remains critical,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement issued Sunday evening Rome time, though he experienced “no further respiratory crisis” since Saturday.

‘Get well soon so I can hug you’

Over the weekend, meanwhile, the pope received dozens of get-well cards from schoolchildren in Rome, urging the Holy Father to recover quickly and sending him wishes of love and healing.

A get-well card to Pope Francis is seen at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. Credit: ACI Stampa

“Dear Pope, I hope you get well soon so I can hug you. I love you so much,” read one letter featuring a drawing of the Holy Father reaching out to a young girl.

“I love you very much and we hope you get out of the hospital soon,” read another.

Get-well cards from schoolchildren to Pope Francis are seen at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. Credit: ACI Stampa

Other greetings included creative illustrations, including a drawing of Blessed Carlo Acutis as well as a 3D rendering of Pope Francis opening the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, was flooded with get-well cards and hand-drawn greetings from schoolchildren in Rome. Credit: ACI Stampa

The Vatican on Sunday said the Holy Father “continues to be alert and well oriented” and continues to receive oxygen therapy “at high flows” through his nose.

Since his situation is “complex,” the statement said, the pope’s prognosis “remains reserved.”

Pope Francis on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, was flooded with get-well cards and hand-drawn greetings from schoolchildren in Rome. Credit: ACI Stampa

On Sunday morning the pope participated in Mass along with those who are caring for him at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

Some of the letters to Francis, meanwhile, looked forward to his release from the hospital.

“We pray that you get well soon,” one read. “It would be a great pleasure for us to have lunch [with you] in our school cafeteria.”

A makeshift shrine with devotional candles, flowers, and images of Pope Francis appears outside Rome's Gemelli hospital on Feb. 22, 2025 / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Staff, Feb 23, 2025 / 14:10 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis’ condition “remains critical,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement issued Sunday evening Rome time. However, it said, he experienced “no further respiratory crisis” since Saturday.

The statement also said the Holy Father “continues to be alert and well oriented” and is still receiving oxygen therapy “at high flows” through his nose. Since his situation is “complex,” the statement said, the pope’s prognosis “remains reserved.”

His blood platelet count remained stable, the statement continued, but some blood tests showed “initial, mild, renal [kidney] failure” that was presently under control.

This morning the pope participated in Mass together with those caring for him at his 10th floor apartment set up at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the statement said.

Also on Sunday, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the cardinal vicar of the Diocese of Rome, celebrated a Mass for Pope Francis at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. The faithful prayed that the Lord would sustain the pope with his grace and fill him with strength to face his health crisis.

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the cardinal vicar of the Diocese of Rome, celebrates a Mass for Pope Francis on Feb. 23, 2025, at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Earlier in the day, Archbishop Rino Fisichella delivered Pope Francis’ prepared homily to over 4,000 permanent deacons gathered for a special jubilee Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. He also delivered from his hospital room his Sunday Angelus address, where he thanked hospital staff as well as called for peace in Ukraine.

An aerial view shows over 4,000 deacons gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica for the special jubilee Mass, Feb. 23, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Feb 23, 2025 / 08:40 am (CNA).

Prayers filled St. Peter’s Basilica Sunday as Archbishop Rino Fisichella delivered Pope Francis’ prepared homily to over 4,000 permanent deacons gathered for a special jubilee Mass, while the pontiff remains hospitalized with pneumonia.

The message, centered on selfless service and forgiveness, emphasized three fundamental aspects of diaconal ministry that the pope described as “forgiveness, selfless service, and communion.”

“Indeed, forgiveness is an indispensable element of every ecclesial vocation and a requirement of every human relationship,” the pope’s homily stated, read by Fisichella, who serves as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

Deacon candidates lie prostrate during their ordination ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica, Feb. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

During the Feb. 23 historic ceremony, 23 men from eight countries were ordained as permanent deacons. The international gathering drew significant delegations from around the world, with Italy sending the largest group, followed by 1,300 deacons from the United States, 656 from France, and substantial numbers from other nations.

The pope’s message called deacons to see their ministry as transformative both for themselves and society. “Through your ministry, you devote yourselves to being ‘sculptors’ and ‘painters’ of the merciful face of the Father, and witnesses to the mystery of the Triune God,” the homily declared.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella performs the ordination rite during the Jubilee Mass for Deacons at St. Peter's Basilica, Feb. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Referencing St. Lawrence, patron saint of deacons, the pope recalled how when asked to hand over the Church’s treasures, the saint pointed to the poor and proclaimed: “These are our treasures!” This story served to illustrate the pope’s broader message about authentic service and communion.

Fisichella highlighted the pope’s spiritual presence in the celebration, noting that while physically absent due to his hospitalization at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, his message resonated deeply through the basilica where “communion takes on its fullest and most meaningful dimension.”

Deacons in white albs gather outside St. Peter’s Basilica before the Jubilee Mass celebration at the Vatican, Feb. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

The Mass marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing jubilee year, with the pope emphasizing that ordination “is not an ascent but a descent,” calling for deacons to make themselves “small” in humble service to others.

“Your mission sets you apart from society only to be reimmersed in it in order to enable it to be an ever more open and welcoming place for everyone,” the homily stated, describing this as “one of the finest expressions of a synodal Church.”

The pope concluded by entrusting the deacons to the Virgin Mary and St. Lawrence, calling them to be “apostles of forgiveness, selfless servants of our brothers and sisters, and builders of communion.”

The celebration showcased the universal Church’s commitment to diaconal ministry, even as prayers continued for the pope’s recovery from bilateral pneumonia.

A statue of St. John Paul II is seen in front of the entrance to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 22, 2025, where Pope Francis continues to receive treatment for respiratory issues. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Feb 23, 2025 / 06:19 am (CNA).

As Pope Francis continued his treatment at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital Sunday, he expressed gratitude to medical staff while marking the approaching third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a prepared Angelus message.

“On my part, I am confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” the pontiff said Feb. 23.

The Holy Father thanked “the doctors and health workers of this hospital for the attention they are showing me and the dedication with which they carry out their service among the sick.”

Vatican sources confirmed that following a prolonged respiratory crisis on Saturday, the pope continues to require supplemental oxygen through nasal cannulas. The latest medical bulletin noted that he also received a blood transfusion to address platelet deficiency associated with anemia.

Despite his health challenges, Pope Francis spoke about current pastoral matters: He acknowledged the ordination of new permanent deacons at St. Peter’s Basilica, where Archbishop Rino Fisichella presided over the ceremony for the Jubilee of Deacons in the pope’s absence.

The pope had special words for the newly ordained deacons: “Dear brother deacons, you dedicate yourselves to the Word and to the service of charity; you carry out your ministry in the Church with words and deeds, bringing God’s love and mercy to everyone.”

Turning to global concerns, Francis marked Monday’s “painful and shameful occasion” of the third anniversary of the “large-scale war against Ukraine.” He renewed his solidarity with “the suffering Ukrainian people” and called for prayers for victims of armed conflicts worldwide, specifically mentioning Palestine, Israel, the Middle East, Myanmar, Kivu, and Sudan.

The pope also expressed appreciation for the many messages of support he has received, particularly noting letters and drawings from children.

“Thank you for this closeness and for the prayers of comfort I have received from all over the world!” he said, entrusting himself to the intercession of Mary.

Pope Francis attends the general audience at the Vatican on Feb. 12, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez / EWTN News

CNA Newsroom, Feb 22, 2025 / 14:11 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis remains in critical condition and “is not out of danger,” the Holy See Press Office announced Saturday evening in Rome.

The 88-year-old pontiff “experienced an asthma-like respiratory crisis of prolonged intensity” Saturday morning that required the administration of high-flow oxygen, according to the Vatican’s medical update.

Blood tests revealed a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia), associated with anemia, which required blood transfusions.

While the Holy Father remains alert and spent the day in an armchair, he is “more uncomfortable than yesterday,” the statement said, describing the prognosis as guarded.

Religious sisters pray the rosary for Pope Francis outside Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 22, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

The Vatican confirmed earlier Saturday that the pope will not lead the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer on Feb. 23. During a press conference at Gemelli Hospital on Friday, the medical team caring for the pontiff had described his condition as serious, noting that Pope Francis was fully aware of his situation.

A makeshift shrine with devotional candles, flowers, and images of Pope Francis appears outside Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 22, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Prayerful presence marked the scene outside Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon as religious sisters and faithful gathered to petition for Pope Francis’ recovery through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Religious sisters and dozens of faithful gather around the statue of St. John Paul II at Gemelli Hospital to pray the rosary for Pope Francis on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 22, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica, where Bernini's gorgeous bronze monument to the Chair of Peter acts as a massive bronze reliquary for the historic wooden chair. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Feb 22, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

Every year on Feb. 22, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, a tradition that dates back more than 1,600 years.

The feast honors not just a physical chair but what it represents: the authority of St. Peter, the first pope, and the unbroken line of his successors.

References to the “Chair of Peter” date back to the early centuries of Christianity. St. Jerome, a biblical scholar of the fourth century, wrote in a letter: “I follow no leader save Christ, so I enter into communion with … the Chair of Peter, for this I know is the rock upon which the Church is built.”

The feast itself has been celebrated on Feb. 22 since at least A.D. 336, according to Monsignor Tiziano Ghirelli, a canon of St. Peter’s Basilica. By the fifth century, its importance had grown, with the imperial family participating in celebrations at the old St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in 450 and 467.

The word “cathedra” refers to the seat of the bishop, which is why the mother church of a diocese is known as a cathedral. The bishop of Rome, as Peter’s successor, holds a unique role in guiding the Church.

The Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica, where Bernini's bronze monument to the Chair of Peter acts as a massive bronze reliquary for the historic wooden chair. Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Benedict XVI explained in a 2006 catechesis that the Chair of Peter “is the symbol of the bishop’s authority and in particular, of his ‘magisterium,’ that is, the evangelical teaching which, as a successor of the apostles, he is called to safeguard and to transmit to the Christian community.”

The phrase “ex cathedra” — Latin for “from the chair” — is still used to describe the pope’s most authoritative teachings.

“Celebrating the ‘chair’ of Peter means attributing a strong spiritual significance to it and recognizing it as a privileged sign of the love of God, the eternal Good Shepherd, who wanted to gather his whole Church and lead her on the path of salvation,” Benedict said.

Yes, there is actually a chair relic kept in St. Peter’s Basilica

In addition to the symbolic meaning, there is also a physical relic known as the Chair of St. Peter housed in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The wooden chair, dating back to the ninth century, was displayed for public veneration last fall amid the restoration efforts underway in the basilica.

Prior to that, the chair was last publicly exhibited in 1867, when Pope Pius IX allowed it to be seen for 12 days to mark the 1,800th anniversary of the martyrdom of Peter and Paul. Before that, the chair had not been seen since 1666 when it was first encased inside Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s monumental bronze sculpture under the stained-glass Dove of the Holy Spirit window at the basilica’s apse.

Historical records indicate that the wooden chair was likely a gift from Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Bald to Pope John VIII in 875. It features ivory panels depicting scenes from Greek mythology, including the labors of Hercules.

Pope Francis venerates the chair of St. Peter at the Synod on Synodality closing Mass on Oct. 27, 2024. Credit: Vatican Media

During the Middle Ages, the popes were solemnly enthroned on the chair. Innocent III used the wooden chair for his consecration on Feb. 22, 1198. 

“Since the 11th century, the feast of Feb. 22 has been celebrated in Rome, and at the Vatican Basilica, with particular emphasis,” Ghirelli explained.

Bernini’s monument

In the 17th century, Pope Alexander VII commissioned Bernini to create an elaborate reliquary to house the chair. Bernini’s design, completed in 1666, features a gilded bronze throne elevated above the ground crowned by a stained-glass window depicting the Holy Spirit as a dove.

The structure is supported by statues of four doctors of the Church — two from the West, St. Augustine and St. Ambrose, and two from the East, St. John Chrysostom and St. Athanasius — symbolizing the unity of the Church through the ages, bringing together the teachings of both the Latin and Greek Church Fathers.

Above the throne, cherubs hold a papal tiara and keys, a reference to the authority given to Peter in the Gospel of Matthew: “You are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my Church.”

A physical relic known as the Chair of St. Peter is housed in St. Peter’s Basilica. The wooden chair, dating back to the ninth century, was displayed for public veneration in the fall of 2024 amid the restoration efforts underway in the basilica. Credit: Matthew Bunson

Though the chair relic is once again enclosed within Bernini’s sculpture, visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica continue to pause before this symbol of the special mission of Peter and his successors to pray for the pope and his intentions.

“As we contemplate it with the wonder of faith,” Pope Francis said, “let us remember that this is the chair of love, unity, and mercy, according to Jesus’ command to the Apostle Peter not to lord it over others but to serve them in charity.”

null / Credit: alexkich/Shutterstock

Rome Newsroom, Feb 22, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year is “Pilgrims of Hope.” For those who wish to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage through reading and prayer during the Lenten season — or anytime during this sacred year — here is a list of recommended books, essays, and encyclicals that explore the theme of Christian hope.

Spes Salvi (Saved in Hope) by Pope Benedict XVI

This encyclical beautifully explores the Christian understanding of hope as rooted in the promise of eternal life. Benedict XVI writes: “The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life.”

Spes Non Confundit (Hope Does Not Disappoint) by Pope Francis

The papal bull for the 2025 Jubilee Year begins: “To all who read this letter, may hope fill your hearts.”

“Crossing the Threshold of Hope” by Pope John Paul II

In this book-length interview, John Paul II addresses the challenges and questions of the modern world in a deeply personal and philosophical conversation on faith and hope.

“Faith, Hope, Love” by Josef Pieper

A classic meditation on the theological virtues, the treatise on hope was written in 1934 in response to the general feeling of despair he perceived at that time.

“Hope” by Alice von Hildebrand

A chapter in the book called “The Art of Living” was co-authored with her husband, Dietrich von Hildebrand. The book has been praised by Peter Kreeft as “a masterpiece” of spiritual wisdom.

“The Portal of the Mystery of Hope” by Charles Péguy

Theology professor Jennifer Newsome Martin called this narrative poem on the theological virtue of hope a “book that changed my life.”

“Prayers of Hope” by Venerable Cardinal Francis-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận

Benedict XVI described this work by the late Vietnamese cardinal who was imprisoned for 13 years as “a precious little book.”

“Life Everlasting and the Immensity of the Soul” by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange

This profound theological treatise on the four last things — death, judgment, heaven, and hell — offers a contemplative perspective on our ultimate hope.

“Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings” by Father Alfred Delp

The writings of a German Jesuit priest who was imprisoned and martyred in a Nazis camp in 1945 reflect on our journey toward a meeting and dialogue with God. 

“Summa Theologiae” by St. Thomas Aquinas (II-IIae, Questions 17-18)

These questions in the Secunda Secundae deal with the theological virtue of hope.

“End of Time: Meditations Towards a Philosophy of History” by Josef Pieper

This philosophical exploration of what Christians truly hope for in the end times distinguishes authentic eschatological hope.

“An Act of Hope” by Father Jacques Philippe

A short meditation on hope and prayer found in the book “Prayer: Oxygen for the Soul.”

“Is It Possible to Live This Way? An Unusual Approach to Christian Existence: Hope” by Luigi Giussani

This work is dialogue on what it means to live with authentic Christian hope in everyday life.

Statue of St. Peter in front of St. Peter's Basilica. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Feb 21, 2025 / 16:30 pm (CNA).

A ruling by the High Court of England and Wales published Feb. 21 has confirmed that the Vatican Secretariat of State was deceived by Italian financier Raffaele Mincione in the irregular purchase of a London building.

For this transaction that ended in fraud Mincione was sentenced in December 2023 by a Vatican lower court to five years and six months in prison for financial crimes related to the case.

In addition, he was ordered to forfeit 200.5 million euros (about $210 million), one of the largest financial penalties ever imposed in the Vatican courts.

In that trial, Cardinal Angelo Becciu was also sentenced to five and a half years in prison for embezzlement of public funds.

According to the ruling, Becciu arranged the acquisition of property located on Sloane Avenue when he was deputy secretary of state from 2011 to 2018.

To do so, he used a third of the reserved funds of the Secretariat of State: that is, $200 million that was paid between 2013 and 2014 at the request of Becciu.

This amount was used to buy shares through a fund managed by the Italian intermediary Mincione, who was also convicted along with Becciu by the Vatican lower court for money laundering, embezzlement, and corruption.

Following the sentence, Mincione filed a lawsuit against the Vatican Secretariat of State in British court in June 2020, and the court published its ruling Feb. 21.

The Italian financier’s aim was to obtain a series of legal declarations in his favor regarding his handling of the buying and selling of the Sloane Avenue building.

Mincione argued that his conduct in the transaction had been transparent and in accordance with the standards of good faith. However, the British court rejected his allegations, confirming that the Vatican had reasons to consider itself the victim of a damaging financial scheme.

According to Judge Robin Knowles’ 50-page ruling, Mincione and his companies withheld key information and misrepresented the value of the London property, causing significant harm to the Vatican.

The court found that Mincione made “unrealistic” statements, inflating the price of the property and taking advantage of the Vatican’s lack of experience in such investments.

Much of the lengthy summary of the verdict focuses on the reconstruction of the irregular transaction.The British court made it clear that the Vatican Secretariat of State was deceived, which coincides with the primary thesis of the Vatican court, which had previously convicted Mincione of money laundering, embezzlement, and corruption.

As a lower court ruling, Mincione has the possibility of appealing the decision.

For the Vatican, the ruling “has important implications not only for Mincione but also for future cases involving the financial operations of the Holy See,” according to a Vatican News editorial on the subject.

According to Vatican journalist Andrea Tornielli, the ruling “establishes an important precedent by recognizing that the Vatican was the victim of financial fraud in one of its most important real estate investments.”

He also confirmed that according to the Vatican “the lack of transparency and ethics with which Mincione and his entourage operated could influence other ongoing judicial proceedings.”

The sentence reinforces, Tornielli said, “the conclusions of the Vatican tribunal, which had already convicted Mincione for crimes related to fraudulent investments of funds of the Holy See.”

Tornielli also referenced a statement by the Vatican promoter of justice, Alessandro Diddi, expressing his satisfaction with the British court’s ruling against Mincione.

“The British judges have shared the view of the Vatican tribunal and have confirmed that Raffaele Mincione did not act in good faith as required in this type of transaction. With this ruling, it is clear that the Vatican court acted correctly in its assessment of the case,” Diddi said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Dr. Sergio Alfieri (right) and Dr. Luigi Carbone give a press conference at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where Pope Francis is hospitalized for tests and treatment for bronchitis, on Feb. 21, 2025. Alfieri said the pope asked him to say hat he has “the mind of a a 50-year-old man.” / Credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images

Vatican City, Feb 21, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis is “not out of danger” due to his age and fragile health, his medical team told journalists on Friday. 

During a Vatican press conference at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, both Dr. Sergio Alfieri, head of Gemelli Hospital’s medical team, and Dr. Luigi Carbone, the pope’s referring doctor at the Vatican, said the 88-year-old Holy Father must remain in the hospital for “enhanced” treatment.

“The hospitalization will be as long as it takes for him to return safely to Santa Marta [his Vatican residence],” Alfieri told journalists on Friday. “He will stay here at least all next week. He is better, but the situation may change. Here at Gemelli, he is a very good patient.” 

The Holy Father, according to Alfieri, asked him “to say that he is an old man with chronic diseases with the mind of a 50-year-old man” who wishes to continue his work caring for the universal Church.

“At 88 he is leading the Church and not sparing himself; he has become fatigued,” Alfieri said. “It has been possible to isolate microorganisms; there are viruses, myocytes, and bacteria [and] there are chronic diseases that can be contained.”

Dr. Sergio Alfieri answers questions from the media at a press conference regarding Pope Francis’ health on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at Gemelli Hospital in Rome. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

The Gemelli medical team head confirmed that the pope continues to read, work, and sign documents while at the hospital.

Elaborating on the specific details of the Holy Father’s medical condition, Alfieri said: “He had pus with a respiratory tract infection … At first there was no pneumonia [but] in the following days we noticed with a CT scan a bilateral pneumonia that is still there.” 

Though the pope is “not attached to machines,” he occasionally uses oxygen support to assist his breathing. Alfieri added: “He knows he is in danger, the risk can be that of sepsis, that is, germs passing into the blood. But today there is no such situation.” 

At Gemelli, the pope’s medical reports are written by Alfieri, Carbone, and a team of infectiologists, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, and pulmonologists.

Carbone, the pope’s doctor at the Vatican, told journalists on Friday that the Holy Father “is fragile and not out of danger [as] it takes very little to have imbalances.” 

“The pope has chronicities, such as asthmatic bronchitis, that can flare up,” he said. “The pope responds to the therapies that have been enhanced and not changed.”

“The pope is not a quitter,” Carbone told journalists toward the end of the press conference. 

Since Feb. 14, the Holy Father has undergone a series of daily diagnostic tests and complex cortisone antibiotic therapies to treat his respiratory infections and pneumonia alongside his other chronic illnesses.

Marcin Bogacki of Warsaw, Poland (far right) prays before walking through the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica with his mother and 4-year-old son on Feb. 21, 2025. / Credit: Hannah Brockhaus/CNA

Vatican City, Feb 21, 2025 / 11:20 am (CNA).

Local Catholics and jubilee pilgrims in Rome are praying for Pope Francis’ recovery as he marks one week in the hospital for treatment for pneumonia and bronchitis.

Pilgrim groups and individuals from around the world continue to travel to Rome for the 2025 Jubilee Year, and though they won’t catch a glimpse of the pontiff, he is close to their hearts.

As they prepared to walk through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, a group of about 50 pilgrims from Our Lady of Nantes Parish in France told CNA they are praying for the pope’s full recovery.

A group of pilgrims from France pray for Pope Francis on Rome on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, as the pontiff remains in the hospital battling pneumonia. Credit: Hannah Brockhaus/CNA

The group was planning to attend the Angelus with the pope on Feb. 23, but now, “we pray for him and we hope that everything will be OK,” seminarian Aymeric Dor said.

Dor recalled that one of the conditions to receive the Holy Door plenary indulgence is to pray for the pope’s intentions, which he said they are doing: “We are praying for his health too.”

Agata Eccli, who is part of a pilgrimage of 57 people from different parishes and towns in Poland, said her group is not only praying for Pope Francis during their visit to St. Peter’s Basilica but also at each of the stops they make on an Italy-wide pilgrimage, including the tomb of St. Anthony in Padua, St. Francis in Assisi, St. Peter in Rome, and St. Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo.

A group of Polish pilgrims prays for Pope Francis as he marks one week in the hospital in Rome on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Credit: Hannah Brockhaus/CNA

Families are also keeping the ailing pontiff in their prayers, including Italian couple Andrea Paradisi and Chiara Costa, who brought their 4-month-old baby Margherita on a pilgrimage to Rome over the weekend for the jubilee. 

Marcin Bogacki of Warsaw, Poland, told CNA he has fond memories of visiting Rome as a child during the Jubilee Year in 2000 and wanted to have the same experience with his own young family. 

Though his wife is expecting their second child and was unable to fly at this time, Bogacki brought his mother and his 4-year-old son. He said they are praying for Pope Francis, for the Church, for a private family intention, and for his wife and their unborn baby.

Rome prays

Across Rome, local Catholics are offering Masses and special prayers for Pope Francis’ health. 

The chaplain of Gemelli Hospital — where the pontiff is receiving treatment — is offering Mass for Francis every day at 1 p.m. in the hospital’s chapel.

On Feb. 22, the feast of the Chair of St. Peter — a day that commemorates the authority Jesus gave to the pope — a group of Catholics will gather outside Gemelli Hospital to pray a rosary for the pope’s health.

At the Basilica of St. Mary Major, every Mass is being offered for the pope, the basilica’s communications director told CNA, including Masses celebrated in the chapel of the ancient Salus Populi Romani image of Mary — a favorite of Francis, who spends time in prayer in the chapel before and after every international trip.

Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro. / Credit: Antoniospadaro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Vatican City, Feb 20, 2025 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

Speaking on Pope Francis’ current health crisis, Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, a personal friend of the Holy Father, said in an interview on Wednesday that “the situation is delicate, but I [haven’t] seen any cause for alarm.”

“Francis is an 88-year-old man who has had a serious problem but who is now undergoing treatment. It’s not a simple treatment and will require time,” said Spadaro, 58, who for 12 years was director of the Jesuit magazine La Civiltà Cattolica (Catholic Civilization) and is currently undersecretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education. He emphasized that the pontiff has “an extraordinary vital energy.”

“He is not someone who lets go or gives in easily, and that’s a very positive aspect; we have seen this in the past as well,” he said in an interview with the Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera (The Evening Courier).

“My impression is that the situation has improved, and I hope that he will soon recover completely,” Spadaro continued. “Francis is a man of great intelligence, and he knows that he must take the necessary time to recover. He has been visibly affected in recent days. The important thing is that he now takes the necessary time in a protected environment.”

The pope’s state of health

Pope Francis was admitted to the Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome on Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. after having done everything on his schedule for that day. However, the Holy Father began to show the first symptoms of his illness at the beginning of the previous week. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, he announced that he was suffering from “a bad cold” and apologized for not being able to read his catechesis during the general audience in Paul VI Audience Hall.

Subsequently, on Thursday, Feb. 6, the Holy See confirmed that it was bronchitis, caused by inflammation of the lining of the bronchi, which made it difficult for him to breathe.

“Due to the bronchitis he is suffering from these days and in order to be able to continue with his activities, Pope Francis’ audiences on Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th of February will take place at St. Martha’s House,” the Vatican said in a brief statement.

The delay in his hospitalization has caused some perplexity and has led to questions about how the medical team at the Vatican is managing his care.

A pope who never stops

Spadaro pointed out that, although Francis has been prescribed “absolute rest,” it is difficult for him to comply with it completely.

“Indeed, he has never allowed himself absolute rest. Since the 1970s, when he was a young priest in Argentina, he had difficulty disconnecting. Perhaps now he will take a few days to rest, but soon he will feel the need to do something, to occupy himself with something,” the priest commented.

However, he emphasized that the pope is striking a balance where “acceptance of the illness is essential.”

“Even these days, he continues reading the newspapers, taking care of some work, and making phone calls. He always shows extraordinary vital energy. Deep down, it’s typical of a Jesuit to keep working while he’s alive and die in the trenches,” he explained.

‘He never spares effort’

Spadaro emphasized that the Holy Father “never spares effort” and that, furthermore, “he has no problem letting his weak condition show.”

He was referring to Sunday, Feb. 9, when the pope celebrated the Mass for the Jubilee of the Armed Forces in St. Peter’s Square and, not feeling well, “had no problem reading only part of the homily.”

“He could have pretended that he was finished with his discourse, but he preferred to delegate it. He lives with great tranquility about his physical limitations. At the same time, he never stops giving himself completely in everything he does, because that is also the essence of his spirituality. In the past, when he had other health problems, he pressed on in the same way,” Spadaro said.

Could he resign like Pope Benedict XVI?

Asked whether Francis could make the same decision as his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, Spadaro answered clearly: “He is aware, as he has said in the past, that one governs with the head and not with the legs.”

“Certainly, it’s a question of taking stock of how much energy he can still exert. If he ever feels that he no longer has the strength to lead the Church, he will resign. But as long as he feels that he has the energy, a temporary health problem will not be an obstacle for him,” he explained.

Spadaro said that if Pope Francis feels he still has the strength, a passing illness will not stop him. “Benedict XVI opened up the possibility of resigning, and Francis has never excluded that option. He has thought about it, he has reflected on it, he has internalized the ministry of the pope and he lives it,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Francis greets Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, on Feb. 20, 2023. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Feb 20, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).

While acknowledging that concern about Pope Francis’ health is understandable, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, called the narrative that fuels speculation about the seriousness of his condition and the pre-conclave atmosphere “morbid.”

Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia in Italy said it is “right to be concerned” about the health of the Holy Father, who at 88 is suffering from bilateral pneumonia and has been hospitalized in the Gemelli Hospital in Rome since Feb. 14.

However, he pointed out that this concern “must be kept within limits,” and he regretted that a lot of speculation about his health has created a “morbid atmosphere.”

“The situation is certainly delicate and the pope has kept on working, unfortunately, from a certain point of view,” the prelate said before emphasizing that the pontiff “is recovering and will return to the Vatican in a few weeks.”

On Wednesday evening, the Vatican reported a “slight improvement” in Pope Francis’ health. Although he is suffering from “a complex clinical picture” and his conditions “are stationary,” blood tests show a slight improvement, especially in inflammatory indices.

Earlier that same day, the Holy Father received Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in his room on the 10th floor of the “popes’ hospital.” Meloni said he was “alert and receptive” without losing his sense of humor. This morning, the pope was able to get up and had breakfast in an armchair.

Paglia also said that he continues to pray “that the pope can soon resume his work, which is more than valuable at a time like this. I would say almost indispensable, given how complex the world situation is and the lack of positive visions,” he said.

“If there are some hopeful signs today regarding peace, it is even more important that the pope support them and again call everyone back to justice, equality, and dialogue,” Paglia said in reference to the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Holy Land.

The prelate also emphasized that the current state of these conflicts is “extremely fragile” and requires a joint effort by many other parties in order to secure a lasting peace.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Candles are set at the feet of a statue of Pope John Paul II on Feb. 20, 2025, outside Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where Pope Francis is hospitalized for tests and treatment for bronchitis. / Credit: STEFANO COSTANTINO/AFP via Getty Images

Vatican City, Feb 20, 2025 / 12:35 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis’ medical condition has stabilized after nearly one week of medical treatment since being admitted into Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14, the Vatican said.

On Thursday morning, the Holy See Press Office informed journalists: “Pope Francis has had a restful night and this morning, got out of bed and had breakfast in an armchair.” 

Since Feb. 14, the Holy Father has undergone a series of diagnostic tests and complex cortisone antibiotic treatments for bronchitis, respiratory infections, and pneumonia affecting both lungs. 

Previous Vatican updates indicated that the 88-year-old pontiff has been able to receive the Eucharist, rest, read, work with his “closest collaborators,” and receive private guests on some days while at Gemelli.

Crux reported Wednesday that sources said the Holy Father has received the sacrament of anointing of the sick. Though “complex,” the pope’s condition is not considered grave.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the Holy Father was “alert and responsive” during her visit on Wednesday, saying: “He has not lost his legendary sense of humor.”   

In light of the pope’s “slightly improved” health status, Pontifical Academy for Life president Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia said he is hopeful the pope “will return to the Vatican in a few weeks.”

“[His work] is more than valuable at a time like this,” Paglia told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. 

Referring to the fragile political situations of Ukraine and the Holy Land, Paglia said: “It is even more important that the pope supports them and calls everyone back to justice, equality, and dialogue.” 

As Catholics around the world unite in prayer for the head of the universal Church, parishes and religious communities in the Diocese of Rome continue to offer Masses and times of silent prayer for the pope. 

“As one big family we ask that the Lord will give our bishop the strength he needs to face this delicate moment,” vicar general for the Diocese of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, said on Wednesday.  

Groups of the Catholic faithful have also gathered outside Gemelli Hospital throughout the week to pray and leave written notes with well wishes for the Holy Father. 

Other Christian leaders, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, have also united with the Catholic Church in prayer, Orthodox Times reported. 

To date, the Vatican has not indicated when the pope could potentially be discharged from the hospital.

Left: Banners at Rome’s Gemelli University Hospital. Right: Pope Francis waves from a wheelchair, Feb. 13, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Feb 19, 2025 / 14:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis’ health condition has remained stable as he continues a stay in the hospital, though recent bloodwork showed a “slight improvement,” the Vatican said on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Feb. 19 communication, medical staff found the pope’s blood tests to show less inflammatory markers. They said his clinical condition is “stationary.”

The 88-year-old Francis, who has been receiving treatment for a polymicrobial respiratory infection at Gemelli Hospital since Friday, received an additional diagnosis of double pneumonia on Feb. 18.

The Vatican said on Wednesday that Pope Francis had breakfast, read a few newspapers, and did some work with the help of his secretaries. Before lunch, the pontiff received the Eucharist, and in the afternoon he was visited by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for 20 minutes.

According to the prime minister’s office, Meloni wished the pope a quick recovery on behalf of the Italian government and the whole country.

The Italian prime minister said she found Francis “alert and responsive.”

“We joked as always. He has not lost his legendary sense of humor,” Meloni added.

A Vatican source said Wednesday morning that Pope Francis does not need supplemental oxygen, that is heart is holding up well, and he is able to occasionally sit in an armchair.

The Vatican has said Francis is receiving cortisone antibiotic therapy to treat a “complex” medical situation, but he “is in good spirits” and asks for continued prayers.