© REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
For the pontiff it will be a working day with a Sunday mass and the Angelus prayer.
Pope Francis celebrates his this Sunday 87th birthday. Congratulations for the Catholic head of the Vatican arrived from all over the world. The Italian head of state Sergio Mattarella congratulated the pontiff on his birthday on behalf of all Italians. Congratulations also came from the Italian Bishops’ Conference CEI.
The Roman mayor Roberto Gualtieri conveyed the congratulations of all Romans to the pontiff. It is his eleventh birthday as pope. No special celebrations were planned. For the head of the church it was a working day like any other, which began with the morning mass in the Vatican guest house. This will be followed by Mass and the Angelus prayer, which the Pontiff will say from the window of the Apostolic House.
➤ Pope Francis: His grave is being prepared in the Basilica in Rome
Despite his health problems, the pontiff is not thinking of resigning
The Pope recently had an interview with the Mexican television channel N+ expressed his wish to be buried in the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and not in the Vatican as is usual. He has great devotion to the basilica in the center of the Italian capital. It contains the icon of Mary, Salus Populi Romani, before which he prays before and after trips abroad.
Despite his old age and his health problems, which have particularly bothered him this year, the pontiff is not thinking of resigning. On the abdication of his German predecessor Benedict XVI. When asked, he said: “I saw Benedict’s courage when he realized that he could no longer do it and preferred to say ‘enough’. And that is good for me as an example. I ask the Lord to say ‘enough’ – at some point, but if he wants it.”
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