Pope Francis has released an audio message from his hospital bed, thanking people for their prayers as he recovers from pneumonia.
This is the first time his voice has been heard since he was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14.
In the brief message, which was played for pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square on Thursday, the 88-year-old pontiff spoke in Spanish, sounding weak and breathless.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square. I accompany you from here,” Francis said. “May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”
His voice wavered at times, with some words barely audible, but the crowd responded with applause.
The Vatican confirmed that the pope’s condition remains “stable.” Officials said there had been no repeat of Monday’s respiratory failure, and his blood work was also steady.
Francis is continuing his breathing exercises and physiotherapy without a fever. He has been able to do some light work in the mornings and afternoons.
The Vatican has been providing regular updates on his health, but on Thursday, it announced that the next medical bulletin would be released on Saturday due to his stable condition.
Despite the pope’s progress, doctors have maintained a “reserved prognosis,” meaning they are cautious about predicting how his health will evolve.
It was revealed that Francis has been using an oxygen mask at night for the past three nights to aid his breathing. During the day, he uses a nasal cannula, a small plastic tube placed in his nostrils, to provide high-flow oxygen.
Although he missed the Ash Wednesday celebrations in Rome marking the start of Lent, Francis participated in a private blessing from his suite on the 10th floor of the hospital.
The pope has not been seen in public since his hospitalisation, and no official photos have been released. However, he has continued to issue written messages.
The Vatican confirmed that Cardinal Michael Czerny would lead mass on Sunday for the first Sunday of Lent on behalf of the pope. The event is part of the Jubilee 2025 celebrations, dedicated this weekend to volunteers.
Pilgrims have been gathering outside the hospital to pray for the pope, with more prayers planned for Saturday.
Francis was first diagnosed with bronchitis, which later developed into pneumonia. On February 22, he experienced a “prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis,” and on February 28, he had a “bronchospasm crisis” — a sudden tightening of the muscles in the lungs.
Earlier this week, the Vatican disclosed that the pope suffered two episodes of acute respiratory failure on Monday due to a buildup of mucus in his airways.
Concerns about the pope’s health have once again sparked discussions about whether he might resign, following the example of his predecessor, Benedict XVI.
