Thousands of people pray for the cold and cold St. Peter’s Square to harm Pope Francis

Vatican City – On Monday night, thousands of people gathered on St. Peter’s Square A sick Pope Francisexpressing sorrow for his suffering, hoping for his recovery and thanks for his efforts to guide the Catholic efforts in a new direction.

The 88-year-old Francis, who suffered from pneumonia in both lungs, was in critical condition despite showing slight improvement after 11 days in the hospital.

As the second cardinal of the Vatican, Pietro Parolin, praying for 45 minutes on a cold, rainy night, faithful fingers, while hoping for the recovery of Francis. The Vatican issued a series of optimism earlier in the evening, providing a more optimistic health announcement than in recent days.

Nevertheless, in the huge square, people were mostly grim in their moods, with many of them understanding about 4,000 rallies likely in the last days of Rome Francis. The crowd sat under umbrellas in folding chairs, or stood on a huge colony as they thought deeply about the pope’s legacy.

“Seeing him hurt,” said Robert Pietro, a seminary in Romania. “But we also pray for everything he did for the church on Thanksgiving.”

Pastor Roberto Allison, from Guadalajara, Mexico, said his community members gathered to appreciate “everything we learned from him.”

Angelo Bagnasco, Bishop of Cadi, stopped to offer personal blessings to some, said the diversity of the crowds – many world languages ​​can be heard – is “comfortable big for the Catholic Church. sign”.

Argentine Pope has been hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14, and doctors say his condition is touch and go, given his age, vulnerability and earlier lungs A disease.

But in Monday’s update, they said he hasn’t Respiratory Crisis The supplemental oxygen he is using has continued since Saturday, but the oxygen flow and concentration have decreased slightly.

Several Catholic visitors in Chicago, holding umbrellas before service began, said they had prayed earlier at the Daily Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica and decided to return. Like many, they found it “hard to deal with” their last days in Rome Frances.

“No one knows the day and the time, but it’s a historic moment,” Edward Burjek said.

The same feels to Hatzumi Villanueva in Peru. She particularly liked former Pope St. John II, but Francis was the first Latin American pope, “closely.”

Villanueva said: “We come and pray for the Pope, and he may soon recover, which is his great mission to share with the message of peace.”

Francis’s Pope also emphasized environment and part Openness to LGBTQ+ rights.

Outside the Vatican, Romans, pilgrims and even non-Catholics have said they are offering special prayers to the hospitalized pope.

“We are all sorry,” said Raniero Mancinelli, who tailored Francis’ etiquette outfits and tailored two in stores outside the Vatican walls. A pope.

Elisabetta Zumbo carries a 5-foot cross on a closed street leading to St. Peter’s Avenue, where she prepares to lead a group of 34 pilgrims from the northern Italian city of Piacenza. As the rain poured, she promised her team would pray for the Pope.

“There are a lot of emotions and a lot of sadness,” Zumbo said.

Nearby, a couple from London visited St. Peter’s Basilica with their son, and even if they were not Catholics, they were the Pope in the memorial cathedral “in his home”.