Pope Francis, speaking from his hospital bed, acknowledged his fragility and said he was “facing a period of trial,” as he thanked well-wishers on Sunday for their prayers amid his slow recovery from pneumonia.

In a message sent to his faithful at the age of 88, Pope Francis referred both to his faith and his frailty.

In a Vatican-released message, the pope said: “I am sharing these thoughts with you all as I go through a difficult time. I am joining so many of my brothers and sisters who are also ill or fragile at this moment. “

“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,” added the Argentine pontiff in the message marking the second Sunday of Lent, 40 days of prayer and reflection leading up to Easter.

The pope’s illness prevented him from delivering the Angelus Prayer in St Peter’s Square to the crowd after Mass for the fifth time in a row.

Francis has yet to make an appearance in his papal room, which is located on the 10th floor of the Gemelli Hospital. However, this did not prevent a large number of well-wishers from gathering on Sunday, including children who were tango dancing.

While the Argentine pontiff recovered in the interior, a dozen couples wearing street clothes performed tangos under gray skies.

Daiana Guspero, a dancer of Buenos Aires (38), exclaimed, “With this tango, he has to be discharged. “

“I want him to feel our energy, our love for tango and for an Argentine pope,” she stated.

Earlier, a group of young scouts from a Catholic group stood at the foot of a statue of former Pope John Paul II at the hospital entrance, holding yellow and white balloons and vainly striving to catch a glimpse of the pope.

“You see him over there!” “You see him there!” One of them exclaimed, before Valerio Santobono (23), corrected him. “I don’t think that is the pope.”

Santobonio claims that children between the ages of five and seven do not yet know who the pope is or what his health condition is.

Santobonio said that the visit was “a bit like opening a bigger stage of Christian life.”

Andrea Lacomini from UNICEF, who organized the visit, told us other children from a poor town near Naples also arrived early to give Francis a letter.

“He loves children, he is the pope of the children, so we are waiting for him. We’re sure he will get better,” Lacomini stated.

He said, “We need a leader with his stature at the moment because there aren’t many heroes on this planet.”

” He is the only one who talks about peace. “

Francis sent out a message although he was not at the window.

Francis wrote: “I am aware that many children pray for my salvation. Some of them visited Gemelli today as a sign of closeness. “

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

– ‘Loving care’ –

Last week, the Vatican declared that Francis was no longer in immediate harm. Francis’s health was in danger after a series of breathing issues during his hospitalization.

On Saturday, the Vatican said that his condition is stable and improving. The Vatican warned him, however, to continue his hospital-based therapies.

Holy Father continues to need hospital medical therapy, and motor and respiratory physiotherapy. The statement stated that these therapies continue to show incremental improvement.

This message appeared to dispel any speculation about the Pope’s health condition indicating an imminent release from the hospital.

Francis’ absence becomes more apparent as Easter, which is the holiest day in the Christian calendar, nears. Only five weeks remain until Easter.

The leader who represents nearly 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, traditionally oversees an active program of events. This includes the Good Friday evening procession and Easter mass in St Peter’s Square.

In his written message on Sunday, Francis thanked his caregivers once again and all those who prayed for him. He also called for peace in war-torn countries such as Ukraine, Myanmar, and Sudan.

The hospital and care facilities will be filled with light. “How much love is illuminated in the corridors, clinics, and places that provide the humblest services! ” He wrote.