People across Latin America prayed for Pope Francis, the first leader of the Catholic Church from the region, as the Vatican reported on February 22nd that the Argentina-born pontiff was in critical condition in a Rome hospital.
Catholics from Mexico to Argentina and the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts attended masses, lighted candles, and said prayers individually for the pope's recovery. Francis was admitted to the hospital on February 14th.
"We ... pray for him with trust in God and pray for his health with joy," said Argentine priest Adrian Bennardins. He praised Francis for making the global Catholic Church "closer, simple, fraternal, without leaving anyone out."
About 54% of Latin Americans identified as Catholic in a 2024 survey by Latinobarometro that interviewed people in 18 countries, down from 80% in 1995.
Among the faithful, people said they felt kinship with Francis, who became Pope in 2013, because of cultural affinity.
"Since he's a Latino, he speaks our language and he shares the feelings of the Latino community because we come from a similar culture," said Grisel Jimenez, who was attending mass at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
Francis began his career as a Jesuit priest in Argentina and later served as archbishop of Buenos Aires and a cardinal.
In Buenos Aires, a picture of the pope with the phrase "the city prays for you" was being projected on the city's famed Obelisk at nighttime from Friday to Monday.
Argentina issued a nationwide call earlier in the week to all "villas" and "barrios" – poor neighborhoods and towns – to pray for the Pope.
Gabriel Indihar, 50, heeded the call, believing in the power of collective prayer.
"When the community prays together, it has greater reach to God so he can make these miraculous transformations," Indihar said. "That is the request we make for the pope."
In neighboring Brazil, the largest Catholic country in the world, people also joined prayers.
"As a Catholic, it's not just about worshipping Christ, but also praying for the pope, praying for our church, and praying for the world," said Helio Martins Da Silva, a churchgoer in Sao Paulo.
6 Comments
Loubianka
“This piece overlooks the fact that cultural affinity shouldn’t substitute for critical thinking or responsible leadership.”
Katchuka
“This heartfelt support echoes the idea that unity and empathy can be found in shared beliefs, even in difficult moments.”
Noir Black
“Prayers won’t transform policy or save lives by themselves; we need action and modern solutions, not just heartfelt ritual.”
Matzomaster
“Prayers are nice, but they don’t replace modern medicine or effective policies. This feels like a step backward.”
Karamba
“It’s beautiful to witness how communities from Mexico to Brazil come together, transcending differences to support their pontiff.”
Comandante
“Watching communities rally in prayer is touching, but it also highlights how dependent we are on outdated traditions to cope with crisis.”