Sawt Falasteen - Hospitalised Pope Francis addresses frailty, calls body 'weak'

The 88-year-old pope, who has weathered his setbacks along with periods of improvement since being hospitalised on February 14, sent a particularly personal message to the faithful that referenced both his faith -- and his frailty.

"I am sharing these thoughts with you while I am facing a period of trial, and I join with so many brothers and sisters who are sick: fragile, at this time, like me," wrote the pope in the message published by the Vatican.

"Our bodies are weak but, even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope," he added in the message marking the second Sunday of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer and reflection leading up to Easter.

Sunday was the fifth time in a row the pope's illness had prevented him from personally giving the Angelus prayer, usually delivered to a crowd gathered in St Peter's Square following mass.

Although Francis has yet to appear at the window of his papal suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital, that has not dissuaded a steady stream of well-wishers from gathering.

On Sunday, dozens of children including scouts from a Catholic group stood at the foot of a statue of Pope John Paul II at the hospital's entrance, holding yellow and white balloons and vainly striving to catch a glimpse of the pope.

"You see the pope there!" shouted one of them eagerly, before being set straight by the group leader, Valerio Santobonio, 23: "I don't think that's him."

"Yesterday we had some drawings made specifically to give to the Holy Father," Santobonio told AFP.

But the boys and girls -- aged from five to seven -- don't quite yet grasp who the pope is, nor his health situation, he added.

"Their questions are much more about... but who is he? What does he do?"

"Bringing the children here is a bit like giving them a window onto a wider stage of Christian life," Santobonio said.

Despite not appearing at the window to wave, Francis addressed his youngest well-wishers in his message.

"I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to 'Gemelli' as a sign of closeness," Francis wrote.

"Thank you, dearest children! The pope loves you and is always waiting to meet you."

- 'Loving care' -

Last week the Vatican signalled that the Argentine Jesuit was out of danger after a series of breathing crises earlier in his hospitalisation had sparked fears for his life.

On Saturday, the Vatican said Francis's condition continued to be stable and showing progress, as it has for the past week, but cautioned he still needed therapies administered within the hospital setting.

"The Holy Father still requires hospital medical therapy, motor and respiratory physiotherapy; these therapies, at present, are showing further, gradual improvements," it said.

That message appeared to quash speculation that the pope's progress could signal an imminent release from hospital.

Although the Vatican has said he continues to work from his hospital suite when able, Francis's absence is particularly felt as Easter approaches, the holiest period in the Christian calendar just five weeks away.

The head of the world's Catholics traditionally presides over a busy programme of events during the period, including a Good Friday evening procession and Easter mass in St Peter's Square in front of tens of thousands of faithful.

In his written message Sunday -- which also called for peace in war-torn countries including Ukraine, Myanmar and Sudan -- Francis once again thanked his caretakers and those who have been praying for him.

"How much light shines, in this sense, in hospitals and places of care! How much loving care illuminates the rooms, the corridors, the clinics, the places where the humblest services are performed!" he wrote.

M.Qasim--SF-PST