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The Humility Of Pope Francis In A Single Photo

Worldcrunch

VATICAN CITY - Humility is inarguably the defining feature of the first 10 days of the new papacy : We have seen it in the words, gestures and symbols of Pope Francis.

But on Friday, we may have the image that captures it best. La Stampa notes that the Argentine pontiff celebrated mass for the gardeners and cleaners who take care of St. Peter’s. At a certain moment, Francis left the altar for a personal prayer in the back pew of the Santa Marta chapel, which is when Vatican correspondent Francesco Grana snapped the photo.

That folks, is one humble pontiff...

L'umiltà di Papa Francesco twitter.com/FrancescoGrana…

— Francesco Grana (@FrancescoGrana) March 22, 2013

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Geopolitics

The Pope's Bronchitis Can't Hide What Truly Ails The Church — Or Whispers Of Succession

It is not only the health of the Pope that worries the Holy See. From the collapse of vocations to the conservative wind in the USA, there are many ills to face.

November 29, 2023: Pope Francis during his wednesday General Audience at the Vatican.

Evandro Inetti/ ZUMA
Gianluigi Nuzzi

ROME — "How am I? I'm fine... I'm still alive, you know? See, I'm not dead!"

With a dose of irony and sarcasm, Pope Francis addressed those who'd paid him a visit this past week as he battled a new lung inflammation, and the antibiotic cycles and extra rest he still must stick with on strict doctors' orders.

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The Pope is dealing with a sensitive respiratory system; the distressed tracheo-bronchial tree can cause asthmatic reactions, with the breathlessness in his speech being the most obvious symptom. Tired eyes and dark circles mark his swollen face. A sense of unease and bewilderment pervades and only diminishes when the doctors restate their optimism about his general state of wellness.

"The pope's ailments? Nothing compared to the health of the Church ," quips a priest very close to the Holy Father. "The Church is much worse off, marked by chronic ailments and seasonal illnesses. "

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