St Peter’s Square hums with tourists snapping photos and pilgrims celebrating the Catholic “Holy Year” on March 5, 2025, but behind the Vatican’s walls, a hush has fallen.
Pope Francis’s absence, which has lasted since February 14 due to double pneumonia, has slashed activity as the Church wrestles with uncertainty over its 88-year-old leader.
A Quiet Vatican City
Inside the city-state, the pope’s jam-packed schedule sits idle. “We’re at minimum service,” Swiss Guard spokesman Corporal Eliah Cinotti told AFP.
The #Ashes remind us of who we are, which does us good. It puts us in our place, smooths out the rough edges of our narcissism, brings us back to reality, and makes us more humble and open to one another. None of us is God; we are all on a journey. #Lenthttps://t.co/o87vq2snzE
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) March 5, 2025Masses, audiences, and VIP receptions have plummeted, with cardinals filling in where they can, most events are axed. “It’s a dormancy period, like the end of Covid,” Cinotti noted, recalling the pandemic’s slow crawl. Journalists swarm outside, reporting on Francis’ health, but within, the pace drags.
As his clinical condition remained stable with no new respiratory episodes, Pope Francis called the Catholic parish in Gaza and carried out several work activities, according to the Holy See Press Office on Wednesday evening.https://t.co/pd85TD7YMr pic.twitter.com/sQSVIoRFPP
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) March 5, 2025The Roman Curia, managing the Church’s global reach, keeps ticking despite the void. Francis’ portrait adorns dicastery walls, but daily work doesn’t hinge on him directly. Still, his grave condition, breathing issues turned into double pneumonia at the Gemelli hospital—and doctors’ silence on a prognosis clouded mid-term planning. Pope Francis’ absence casts a long shadow over the Vatican’s rhythm.
Read: Pope Francis’ Condition Remains ‘Critical’
Pope Francis’ absence splits the scene. St Peter’s thrives, but the Vatican gears grind low.
