Pope Francis celebrates twelve years of his pontificate on Wednesday, March 13, a milestone in the history of the Catholic Church. This event not only made him the first Latin American Pope but also the first Jesuit and the first pontiff in 1,200 years to come from the other side of the world to lead the Vatican. “It seems that my brother cardinals went almost to the ends of the earth to find him.”
Francis marks his twelfth anniversary with communion in the private chapel of the Gemelli Polyclinic. He has been hospitalized for a month and is facing the most challenging ordeal of his 88 years: recovering from a complicated bilateral pneumonia, which, along with other conditions, is expected to be a long process with possible relapses.
His hospitalization marks a turning point in the way he exercises the pontificate. From that hospital room, he continues to govern the Catholic Church, delegating the most important ceremonies to cardinals, where texts prepared by him are read. This way of operating will likely continue even after his discharge, as a long recovery is anticipated.
The audio of his voice broadcast by the Vatican before the rosary prayer in St. Peterβs Square was, for some, striking, as it highlighted the Popeβs fragilityβhe spoke with a broken, weak, and tired voiceβwhile for others, “it was like a miracle.” His figure remains a symbol of strength and faith for the faithful, who send him well wishes from all over the world. Prayers continue uninterrupted in front of the Roman hospital and in the Vatican, in gratitude for his generous and tireless dedication to the Church.