Pope to miss Angelus prayer delivery for fifth Sunday

The Vatican is expected to issue the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer as a written text for the fifth week in a row as Pope Francis continues his recovery from double pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.

The Pope typically delivers the Angelus from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square to the gathered faithful, who have grown more numerous due to the Jubilee year that Francis inaugurated in December.

Along with a stop at St Peter’s to seek indulgences by walking through the basilica’s Holy Door, pilgrims are now also adding a stop at Gemelli, a 15-minute train ride from the Vatican.

Doctors this week said the 88-year-old pontiff is no longer in critical, life-threatening condition, but have continued to emphasise his condition remains complex due to his age, lack of mobility and the loss of part of a lung as a young man.

Francis has not been seen publicly since he was admitted to the hospital on February 14 after a bout of bronchitis that made it difficult for him to speak. Doctors soon added a diagnosis of double pneumonia and a polymicrobial infection.

The first three weeks of his time in hospital were marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, including respiratory crises, mild kidney failure and a severe coughing fit.

Doctors in the most recent medical update on Saturday said they were working to reduce the Pope’s night-time reliance on the non-invasive ventilation mask, which will allow his lungs to work more.

Doctors underlined that while the Pope’s condition is stable, he still requires to be in hospital for both physical and respiratory therapy, which are “showing further gradual improvements”, the Vatican said on Saturday in the first medical update in three days.

The next update will not be issued until the middle of next week, the Vatican added.