People who gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Thursday to pray for Pope Francis got quite a surprise right at the start of the event.
They unexpectedly heard an audio message from the pope himself, who expressed his gratitude for the support he’s received from near and far during his ongoing hospitalization.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square; I accompany you from here,” Pope Francis said in the audio message, per America magazine. “May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”
The pope sounds different than normal in the recording, as if he’s short of breath and congested.
That’s to be expected, since he’s battling double pneumonia.
The latest update on the pope’s health from the Holy See Press Office said that the prognosis remains guarded but that his clinical condition is stable.
“He did not experience any episodes of respiratory insufficiency today,” the Thursday statement said.
Vatican officials also announced that there will not be another update on the pope until Saturday. Since he entered the hospital with bronchitis on Feb. 14, there’s been at least one update every day.
The shift in the schedule could be a sign that Pope Francis' condition is definitely improving, but it could also stem from the fact that pneumonia is often slow to respond to treatment.
“In treating pneumonia, you have to have patience and wait for the therapies to produce a definite effect; the doctors cannot say something new every day given that the situation is stable,” said Dr. Anna Lisa Bilotta, who works in the Salvator Mundi International Hospital in Rome and is not treating the pope, to America magazine.
In addition to recording the unexpected audio message, the pope spent time on Thursday working, praying and resting.
“Before lunch he received the Eucharist,” America reported.