Pope’s voice heard for first time in three weeks in St Peter’s audio recording

The voice of Pope Francis has been heard for the first time since he was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital in an audio message thanking believers for their prayers for his recovery.

The Pope’s message was played aloud in St. Peter’s Square this evening just before 9 p.m., local time in Rome, March 6. It is the first time his voice has been heard publicly in three weeks. In his audio recording, the Pope, speaking in Spanish with a laboured and breathless voice, said:

“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square, I accompany you from here.

“May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you,” the Pope said.

The Pope’s message was played just before the nightly rosary that has been occurring during his hospitalisation. Tonight’s rosary that followed the audio message was led by Spanish Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, a second-in-command position serving under the Vatican’s first woman dicastery prefect, Italian Sister Simona Brambilla.

The recording marked the first time since the Pope was admitted to hospital on Feb. 14 that the world has heard his voice as he continues to battle double pneumonia. No pictures of the Pope since he was hospitalised have yet been released.

In a March 6 communique released earlier in the evening, the Vatican said the Pope’s condition “remained stable” as it has for the previous two days, and that he has not experienced any additional episodes of respiratory failure, following several recent instances.

He continued with respiratory and mobility therapy during the day, while his blood tests were also stable and he continues to not have a fever.

RELATED: Pope remains stable for third day; continues breathing and mobility therapy

Photo: Nuns react to hearing Pope Francis’s voice as worshippers gather for the start of the evening rosary prayer in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, 6 March 2025. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.)

The post Pope’s voice heard for first time in three weeks in St Peter’s audio recording first appeared on Catholic Herald.

The post Pope’s voice heard for first time in three weeks in St Peter’s audio recording appeared first on Catholic Herald.