Pope Francis on Sunday acknowledged being fragile and “facing a period of trial”, as he thanked well-wishers for prayers in a message from the hospital, where he has been slowly recovering from pneumonia.
The 88-year-old Pope, who has weathered setbacks along with periods of improving health since being hospitalised on February 14, sent a particularly personal message to the faithful that referenced both his faith and his frailty.
The Pontiff while empathising with as many that are also ill acknowledged that they feel weakness in their bodies but nothing prevent them from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope.
Sunday was the fifth time in a row that the pope’s illness had prevented him from personally giving the Angelus prayer, usually delivered to a crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square following mass.
Although Francis has yet to appear at the window of his papal suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital, this has not dissuaded a steady stream of well-wishers from gathering, including tango dancers and dozens of children on Sunday.
Under grey skies, about a dozen couples in street clothes danced the tango in front of a throng of cameras as the Argentine pontiff recuperated inside.
Earlier, a group of young scouts from a Catholic group stood at the foot of a statue of former Pope John Paul II at the hospital entrance, holding yellow and white balloons and vainly striving to catch a glimpse of the pope.
Children are said to arrived in the early morning from a town near Naples to deliver a letter to Francis.
Last week the Vatican signalled that Francis was out of immediate danger after a series of breathing crises earlier in his hospitalisation had sparked fears for the Jesuit’s life.
On Saturday, the Vatican said his condition continued to be stable and showing progress, but cautioned that he still needed therapies administered within the hospital setting.
