Vatican hosts Lent withdrawal in spiritual communion with Pope Francis

Members of the Roman curia will begin the spiritual exercises of Lent next Sunday, March 9 in the Classroom Paul VI of the Vatican, “in spiritual communion with the Holy Father.”

This was reported by the Holy See press office in the morning bulletin on Tuesday. Although the presence of Pope Francis was expected, his delicate state of health, which keeps him admitted to the Gemelli hospital since February 14, will prevent him from attending.

If he had had his presence, this would have been the first time that Pope Francis performs the exercises with the prelates resident in Rome from the Covid pandemic, when the restrictions to avoid contagios imposed social distance.

In years prior to 2019, the Pontiff used to move next to the superiors of the Roman curia to the convent “House of the Divine Master”, located in the town of Ariccia, 45 km from Rome. However, since 2020, when he annulled him for suffering a cold, Pope Francis does it from the Vatican.

This year, meditations will be in charge of Fr. Roberto Pasolini, OFM, preacher of the Pontifical House, on the theme “The Hope of Eternal Life.”

The first meditation will take place on Sunday, March 9, at 5:00 p.m. (local time), coinciding with the sentence of the eve. From Monday, March 10 to Thursday, March 13, two daily meditations will be held: at 9:00 (local time) and at 5:00 p.m. (local time).

During this time of conversion and preparation for Easter, which will conclude on Friday, March 14, not only the cardinals will participate, but also archbishops, bishops, members of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, the Roman Curia and the Government of the Vatican City.