A weak and gasping Pope Francis thanked people for their prayers for his recovery in a moving audio message broadcast on Thursday.
It was the first public indication of the 88-year-old pope's activity since he was hospitalised three weeks ago with double pneumonia.
Francis's weak voice, heard through his labored breathing and in his native Spanish, was recorded Thursday from a hospital and broadcast to the faithful in St. Peter's Square who had gathered for the evening prayer of the rosary.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square, my thoughts are with you from here,” he said, his gentle voice filling the silent square. “God bless you, and the Virgin Mary protect you. Thank you.”
For those accustomed to hearing Francis' voice, which is often so quiet it resembles a whisper, the sound came as an emotional blow, reminding them of his grave condition.
The cardinal who led the prayer, Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, began the service by telling those gathered about the “wonderful news, the wonderful gift” he wanted to share.
The astonished crowd burst into applause, then applauded again after Francis' final “gracias.” Cardinal Fernandez Artime, for his part, bowed his head, listening.
Dad has a chronic lung disease and had part of one of his lungs removed when he was young.
The Vatican has been updating Francis on his health twice a day but has not released any photos or videos of him since the morning of February 14, when he held several audiences at the Vatican before being hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital with what was then simply a severe case of bronchitis.
The infection developed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia, pushing Francis beyond his 12-year papacy and raising questions about his future in the post.
Francis has released written messages from the hospital, some of which sound very much like his own style. But even Vatican officials have clamored to hear his voice, stressing that the pope’s calls for peace are especially important in a time of global conflict and war.
Like every pope before him, Francis has mastered the art of informal and direct communication, often recording videos on his mobile phone for visitors to take back to their communities. Despite the considerable effort this must take, Francis has
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
