Members of Rome's Latin American community gather at the Gemelli hospital to pray for the Pope

(15 Mar 2025) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Rome, Italy - 15 March 2025 1. Wide of faithful from the Rome’s Latin American community singing and praying under Pope John Paul II statue at the Gemelli hospital, while holding a banner reading (Italian), “Latin American mission. Saint Mary of the Light” 2. Various of women singing and praying while holding El Salvador’s flag 3. Close of hands holding a rosary 4. Mid of women praying 5. Close of candle showing Pope Francis 6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Father Gerardo Garcia Ponce, Scalabrinian Missionary and Latin American chaplain in Rome: “Today we are gathered here as the Latin American community of Rome to pray for the health of Pope Francis. The entire Latin American community is always very grateful because Pope Francis loves migrants very much. He wants to be close to them and he is concerned about them, especially in terms of integration in the new culture that receives us. That is why we are here, to thank him and to pray to the Lord for his health.” 7. Various of faithful praying 8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Father Gerardo Garcia Ponce, Scalabrinian Missionary and Latin American chaplain in Rome: “The message to Pope Francis from the Latin American community today is that he gets better soon, that he can be with us again to continue guiding us as a Church with love, especially in this Jubilee year that we are celebrating.” 9. Wide of faithful praying under the statue 10. Close of woman holding a prayer book 11. Various of faithful praying 12. Painting depicting the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus and rosaries hanging under JPII statue 13. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Betty Ruiz, 47-year-old woman from Peru living in Rome: “The entire Latin American community is gathered here. We are from the Latin American community here in Rome and from all the countries of Latin America. I am Peruvian and all our brothers and sisters are here. We have come to meet and pray for our Pope Francis so that he recovers as soon as possible, because we need him. We need him as a guide and as our Father, as he has been and always will be. We love him very much and we hope he recovers soon. Our prayers are with him always. Thank you. Amen.” 14. Candles under the statue 15. Mid of statue, with hospital windows in background 16. Close of hospital windows 17. Various of Latin American faithful cheering under the statue STORYLINE: Members of Rome's Latin American community gathered Saturday at the Gemelli hospital to pray for Pope Francis’ health. “We have come to meet and pray for our Pope Francis so that he recovers as soon as possible, because we need him,” said Betty Ruiz, a 47-year-old woman from Peru living in the Italian capital. “We need him as a guide and as our Father, as he has been and always will be. We love him very much and we hope he recovers soon. Our prayers are with him always,” she added. Pope Francis entered the fifth week of hospital treatment for double pneumonia on Saturday very much looking ahead as he continued work on a signature priority of his papacy and signs of his recovery remained on a positive trajectory. Working from the Gemelli hospital, Francis has approved a three-year implementation and evaluation process for his reform project that aims to make the church a more welcoming and responsive place. The Vatican office for the synod, or gathering of bishops, released a timetable through 2028 to implement the reforms and said Francis had approved the calendar last week. The Vatican announced Friday that it would provide medical updates on the pope less frequently, in what it called a positive development. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...