Pope Francis Hospitalized, Says He's Facing a 'Period of Trial'
VATICAN CITY, Italy - Pope Francis, the 88-year-old leader of the Catholic Church, addressed the faithful from his hospital bed on Sunday, March 16, 2025, acknowledging his fragility and describing his current state as “facing a period of trial.” The Holy Father has been receiving treatment at the Gemelli hospital since February 14, 2025, after suffering from a bout of pneumonia.
In his traditional Sunday message, Pope Francis expressed gratitude for the outpouring of prayers and well-wishes he has received during his illness. According to Sky News, the message, published by the Vatican, conveyed a deeply personal reflection on his condition. “I am sharing these thoughts with you while I am facing a period of trial, and I join with so many brothers and sisters who are sick: fragile, at this time, like me,” the Pope stated.
Speaking during the second Sunday of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and reflection leading up to Easter, Pope Francis emphasized the strength that can be found even in physical weakness. “Our bodies are weak but, even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope,” he said.
This marks the fifth consecutive Sunday that Pope Francis's illness has prevented him from personally delivering the Angelus prayer. Typically, the Pope addresses a crowd gathered in St Peter's Square following mass.
On Thursday, March 13, 2025, the Catholic Church commemorated the 12th anniversary of Pope Francis's election. However, this year's celebration was notably different as the Pope marked the occasion from his sickbed at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official close to Francis, acknowledged the change in the celebration this year, according to Legit.ng.
Pope Francis's health has sparked discussions about the future leadership of the Catholic Church and potential successors. Despite his declining health, the Pope has taken significant steps to shape the church’s future, including extending Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s tenure. Observers anticipate a highly charged papal transition due to Francis's progressive reforms and clashes with conservative factions, Legit.ng reports.
The Vatican provided an update on Pope Francis’s health on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, reporting that he had a peaceful night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. Despite experiencing severe respiratory issues, the Vatican stated that the Pope's condition remained stable. Although he is critically ill with bilateral pneumonia, Pope Francis has continued to oversee Church matters from the hospital.
The Vatican has indicated that Pope Francis's condition continues to be stable and is showing progress, but he still requires therapies to be administered within the hospital. These therapies include hospital medical therapy, motor, and respiratory physiotherapy. This message tempered earlier speculation that the Pope might be released from the hospital soon.
In his Sunday message, Pope Francis expressed his appreciation for his caretakers and those who have been praying for him. “How much light shines, in this sense, in hospitals and places of care! How much loving care illuminates the rooms, the corridors, the clinics, the places where the humblest services are performed!” he remarked.
Pope Francis is being cared for on the 10th floor of the hospital, in a special papal suite that includes a chapel. On Sunday morning, dozens of children from a Catholic scout group gathered at the entrance of the hospital, calling out
