An Angelus twice over: the Pope from hospital and Mgr Sandri from St Peter's Square
Vatican (AsiaNews) Today's Angelus was done twice over, once at the Gemelli hospital and again in St Peter's Square, both live.
Sitting in an armchair in his sickroom John Paul II followed the prayer on screen, with him were his secretaries and some members of the hospital staff. The faithful gathered in the hospital's yard also listened to the ceremony from loudspeakers.
In St Peter's Square giant screens showed the Pope praying, whilst Leonardo Sandri, substitute of the Secretary of State, read the Pope's text and gave the blessing. Right after the Pope gave his blessing from his window and greeted the faithful in the hospital's yard.
The Pope is in his hospital since February 22 when he was brought in experiencing respiratory problems and has undergone a tracheotomy. Since then the Gemelli hospital has become a 'branch' of the Vatican.
Cardinals and bishops have gone back and forth from the Vatican carrying out their duties; pilgrims from around the world have made the hospital yard part an unavoidable stop on their visit to Rome; here they sing and pray, often in night vigils, for the Pope's health.
Some sources have indicated that the Pope should return to the Vatican on Tuesday, March 8.
Here are Pope's words before the Marian prayer:
"Dear brothers and sisters!
"Today I again wish to renew my gratitude to the many expressions of affection that have reached me.
"I am thinking in particular of the many cardinals, bishops, priests, groups of faithful, ambassadors and ecumenical delegations who have come to the Gemelli hospital these last few days.
"I especially wish to acknowledge the closeness of the believers of other religions, in particular Jews and Muslims. Some of them came to the hospital to pray. For me this is comforting sign and for this I thank God.
"Let us continue our preparation for Easter, offering suffering to God for the good of humanity and our purification.
"In today's page from the Gospels, in healing the man blind from birth, Christ introduced himself as "the light of the world," (John, 9: 5). He came to open man's eyes to the light of faith.
"Yes, my dear ones, faith is the light that guides on the path of life; it is the flame that brings comfort in difficult times.
"When a child is born it is said that he was 'brought to life'. For believers, brought to the supernatural life with the baptism, Lent is a good time to 'come to light', i.e. a time of rebirth from the spirit, renewing baptismal grace and commitment.
"May the Most Holy Mary help us receive from Christ the gift of a stronger and clearer faith so that we can be coherent and courageous witnesses of His Gospel."
.png)
