"From conflict to communion": Pope Francis' ecumenical vision"God works through non-programmable events, 'that' by chance this happened to me," says Pope Francis."God's style is discreet, does not impose itself," says Pope FrancisSince Pope Francis was admitted to the Policlinico Gemelli In Rome, the Catholic faithful in Italy and in many other countries have united in an extraordinary mobilization of prayer for his recovery. From parish churches to squares, including spontaneous gatherings in front of the hospital, vigils, Masses and rosaries dedicated to the Pope "come from the end of the world" are multiplying. Numerous ecclesiastical authorities have encouraged this "marathon of prayers", underlining the importance of "manifesting the Church's closeness to the Pope and to the sick".
From St. Peter's to Gemelli
For obvious reasons of geographical proximity, the response of the faithful in Italy was immediate and heartfelt. The Bishops' Conference has invited parishes and religious communities to intensify their prayers for the Holy Father.
In Rome, following the mobilization of the Vicariate with Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the Vatican, through the Secretariat of State, organizes every evening the prayer of the Rosary in St. Peter's Square starting at 9:00 p.m., led in turn by resident cardinals, collaborators of the Curia and Roman diocesan clergy, with the participation of hundreds of faithful. The first of these vigils was presided over by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin; he was followed by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and Cardinal Giovan Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.
White balloons, lit candles and floral arrangements have been appearing for days in the square of Gemelli Hospital, where groups of devotees gather daily in prayer under the windows of the Pope's room on the tenth floor.
In the same polyclinic a permanent prayer chain has been started: every day, at lunchtime, in the hospital chapel dedicated to St. John Paul II, doctors, patients and healthcare personnel participate in an hour of Eucharistic adoration followed by Mass, praying "in a special way" for the Pontiff.
In the square in front of the statue of John Paul II, the evening Rosary is also prayed together with visitors and faithful present. "At this moment, I would like us to ask for the same faith as Abraham, the spes vs. spemNunzio Corrao, chaplain of the Gemelli, during a Eucharistic adoration for Pope Francis. Even the usual Sunday Angelus prayer is experienced in a special way.
In Rome, several pontifical universities, such as Holy Cross, Gregorian and Lateran, have invited their academic communities to pray for the health and speedy recovery of the Pontiff.
From Argentina to Syria
The wave of prayer for the health of the Pontiff has transcended national borders, acquiring a global dimension. Particularly moving is the mobilization in Latin America, Francis' homeland.
In Buenos Aires, his hometown, hundreds of faithful gathered in Plaza Constitución for an open-air Mass presided over by Archbishop Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva. "Bergoglio's pontificate is a breath of fresh air for a world suffocated by violence and exclusion. Now that he is lacking a little oxygen, he needs us: may our prayer be that breath that reaches his lungs to heal", said in his homily Monsignor García Cuerva, evoking with a powerful image the spiritual unity of the people with their shepherd.
There is no lack of echoes of collective prayers in other parts of the world. In Syria, for example, the twelve parishes of the Archieparchy of Homs joined in a spontaneous novena: "Masses have been celebrated and rosaries prayed every day since the Pontiff has been at the Gemelli," the Syro-Catholic Archbishop of Homs, Jacques Mourad, told the Vatican media.
The same is true in the Church in Austria. The Archbishop Emeritus of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, recalled that Francis often asks the faithful to pray for him, and "in these days he needs it more than ever. Let us pray for him together. In Switzerland, the Bishops' Conference assured that "bishops and faithful are united in prayer for the Pope and his speedy recovery, together with the rest of the world".
From faraway Finland, Bishop Raimo Goyarrola sent a message of solidarity, commending Francis to Our Lady "Health of the Sick" and joining with Finnish Catholics in the universal pleas for the healing of the Holy Father.
Significant is the current of benevolence that transcends the boundaries of Catholicism: from Egypt, Ahmed al-Tayebthe Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and a leading figure in Sunni Islam, addressed a public greeting calling the Pope "my dear brother" and assuring prayers.
Italian Imam Yahya Pallavicini highlighted Francis as "a champion of dialogue and friendship with Muslims," ensuring that during the holy month of Ramadan the Islamic community will also remember him in their prayers, wishing him a full recovery.
