Fri Mar 14 05:46:44 UTC 2025: ## Pope Francis Marks 12th Anniversary of Papacy in Hospital
**Rome, Italy** – Pope Francis marked the 12th anniversary of his papacy on Thursday, March 13th, 2025, while hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. This marks the first time in modern history a Pope has spent this anniversary in a medical facility. The 88-year-old pontiff, who has been receiving treatment for a complex lung infection since February 14th, continues to show signs of improvement, according to Vatican sources.
While no official medical updates were released on the anniversary itself, a chest X-ray earlier this week confirmed positive progress. His condition, though stable, remains complex given his age and pre-existing health conditions, including limited mobility and a prior lung surgery. He observed the day with physiotherapy, Lenten spiritual exercises, and prayers at the hospital chapel. Hospital staff presented him with a celebratory cake, and he received numerous well wishes, including hundreds of drawings and messages from children worldwide.
Despite his hospitalization, the Pope’s ministry continues. He is following a Lenten spiritual retreat and receives oxygen therapy. The Gemelli Hospital, a short distance from the Vatican, has become a pilgrimage site for those wishing to pray for his recovery. A Mass was held in his honor at the Argentine church in Rome.
The unusual circumstance has drawn comparisons to Pope John Paul II’s extended stay at Gemelli. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro emphasized that, while a testament to the Pope’s fragility, the hospital remains a site from which he continues his papal duties. Pope Francis’s hospitalization is expected to last at least four weeks.
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