Pope Francis addressed the faithful in a short audio message on March 6th, first broadcasted during the nightly Rosary for his health held in St. Peter’s Square.
This marked the first public sound of his voice since his hospitalization three weeks prior.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square,” Pope Francis said in Spanish, speaking with noticeable difficulty and pausing for breath at times.
His message was played before the Rosary led by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
The cardinals described the audio as “beautiful news, a beautiful gift,” prompting applause from the gathered crowd, reported AP.
The Vatican has said that Pope Francis remains stable, undergoing daily respiratory therapy and receiving supplemental oxygen through a nasal tube during daytime, with mechanical ventilation assistance at night. Doctors described his prognosis as guarded, maintaining caution about his ongoing recovery.
Listen below to Pope Francis’ audio message from the hospital shared by the Vatican:
Please pray for the health of Pope Francis and also his intentions! 🙏
Editorial credit: Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.com
