Vatican prayer vigils as Pope’s condition remains critical [updated Tues PM]

February 24, 2025

Update: Tuesday afternoon: Gemelli Hospital reports that the Pope’s condition “remains critical but has stabilized.”

Update: Tuesday morning: The Vatican offered no new information on the condition of Pope Francis on Tuesday morning, apart from an announcement that he “rested well throughout the night.”

However the Pope was alert enough to meet on Monday with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the sostituto who handles the day-to-day operations of the Roman Curia. He also approved decrees from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, including a finding that cleared the way for the beatification of Father Emil Kapuan, the heroic US Army chaplain who died in a prisoner-of-war camp during the Korean War.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, will lead a Rosary vigil in St. Peter’s Square on Monday evening, to pray for Pope Francis, as the Pontiff’s medical condition remains critical.

The Vatican announced on February 24 that the cardinals living in Rome would begin meeting each evening, “along with all collaborators of the Roman Curia and the Diocese of Rome,” to pray for the Pope’s health. The 9 pm (Rome time) prayer service will be broadcast by Vatican News and other channels.

The Rosary vigils were announced as news of the Pope’s condition took a grim turn. Doctors at Gemelli Hospital reported that the Pontiff had received two blood transfusion to combat anemia, was being given “high-flow” oxygen regularly, and was showing early signs of kidney failure. Although he did not suffer any severe new bouts of breathing difficulty, and one Vatican source said that he was eating normally, the hospital chaplain was quoted as saying that an optimistic outlook required “hope against hope.”

However, the Vatican said that the Pope has been sitting up and remains alert, and doctors said that his kidney problems (“renal insufficiency”), while troubling, were currently under control. Later, on Monday afternoon, the hospital reported a “slight improvement” in the Pope’s condition, saying that his need for supplemental oxygen had been “slightly reduced” and the “kidney insufficiency has not raised concerns.” The Pope resumed working on Monday, doctors reported.

Monday was the Pope’s 11th day in Gemilli Hospital, matching the longest hospital stay of his pontificate.

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the vicar general of the Rome diocese, celebrated as Mass for the Pope’s health at the basilica of St. John Lateran on Sunday afternoon. The president of the Italian bishops’ conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, led the recitation of the Rosary that evening at San Domenico basilica in Bologna.

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• Posted by: Acolyte - Feb. 24, 2025 8:51 PM ET USA

  Devout Catholics should pray for the recovery of Pope, the Vicar of Christ regardless of their traditional tendencies toward the Holy Sacrifice(Mass). If it is God’s will, HE may call our holy father to his heavenly home, but it is Christian practice to pray for his recovery. Pope Francis’s service to the Church is great and his servant heart should be acknowledged.