You can read the latest Vatican statement here: The Pope is in and out of consciousness. The Vatican spokesman mentioned that the Pope was particularly mindful of the young people he had met throughout his pontificate and even those who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square to “keep watch with him” thoughout the night. It reminds me of the Apostles keeping watch with Jesus through the night in the garden of Gethsemane. He continues to hang on. His tenacity is amazing.
At one point, according to Cardinal Pomepedda who went in to visit him, he asked those in the room with him not to cry, but to join him in joy as he prepares to stand before Jesus. He is serene and not suffering, he said.
It’s Divine Mercy Sunday tomorrow – and at the moment it is 2:15 PM here on the East Coast and 9:15 PM in Italy… I think the Pope will hang on for 2 hours 45 minutes until it’s Sunday.
It’s so beautiful to see and hear the people at St. Peter’s saying the rosary and singing the Ave Maria.
A bittersweet time for us. Happy to know that he is going to meet Jesus but we are so sad to lose him!