World churches pray for His Holiness Pope Francis

At a time when Italian, international press and media agencies gather in the squares of the Gemelli Hospital in the heart of the Italian capital, Rome, to follow up on the health of Pope Francis, who was admitted to the hospital a week ago, dioceses and churches around the world have begun calling on the worshippers to intensify prayers for the Pope's recovery.

The news is broadcast mornings and evenings about his health situation and what the doctors report, which is summarized by our friend Director of the Holy See Press Office Matteo Bruni who summarizes in a press release the developments of the health situation with complete transparency. Yes, with transparency and clarity, since there is nothing that can be hidden relevant to the health of the Pope, who turns 89 this year, especially since the type of microbial infection takes time to heal, and according to doctors, lung infection may slowly improve with medication, and this is what was announced earlier, thank God.

Pope Francis has of course been all the time a believer prior to taking the responsibility of leading the Catholic Church (1.4 billion people in the world) since 2013. A few days ago, he published his memoir titled, "Hope", in which he places himself and his health at the disposal of the Creator. After issuing a decree to simplify the papal funeral to be a less grandiose form than the previously held ones, he announced that he wanted his body to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which in one of the major papal basilicas in Rome.

 Therefore, the churches are offering prayers for his recovery and his return to leading the "ship of Saint Peter", as it is said in the ecclesiastical language. In Rome, which is considered the Pope's diocese, Pope's vicar general of the Diocese of Rome Cardinal Baldassare Reina called on the people of Rome to pray for their bishop.

In Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who was appointed patriarch by Pope Francis in 2020 and cardinal in 2023, said: "We come together as one family in faith, united in a heartfelt appeal imploring the Lord to sustain Pope Francis with renewed health and strength, so that he may continue his sacred mission of guiding the Church with wisdom, humility, and love."

Praying for the Pope’s health is not merely a Christian matter, but rather a humanitarian one, as he has been concerned with humanitarian issues notably poverty, unemployment, the danger of environmental pollution, the displaced, the refugees, and those seeking peace amidst the rubble of war, in addition to promoting dialogue with followers of religions, especially with Muslims in the Arab world and the entire world. From the square of the Gemelli Hospital, the prayers of the faithful are offered for his recovery at a time when he, with his weak voice and breath, holds the phone to talk to the priests of the church in Gaza,  a matter which he accustomed them to on daily bases since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.

Greetings to you, O venerable Pope…