By Charles Igwe
The Vatican’s annual Lenten retreat will take place next week in “spiritual communion” with Pope Francis, who remains under treatment for respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia, at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
Announcing the retreat on Tuesday, the Vatican said it will run from the evening of March 9 through the morning of March 14, with the theme “The Hope of Eternal Life.” The papal preacher, Father Roberto Pasolini, will deliver 10 spiritual reflections on this theme to cardinals and Vatican employees throughout the week.
This marks the sixth consecutive year that Pope Francis has not participated in a joint Lenten retreat with the Roman Curia. Since 2020, he has opted to observe the spiritual exercises individually, with all papal appointments suspended during the retreat, which traditionally takes place in the first full week of Lent.
The Vatican stated that the retreat, beginning with vespers on Sunday, March 9, will feature twice-daily meditations from Monday to Thursday and conclude with a final reflection on Friday morning. Cardinals, bishops, members of the Pontifical Family, priests, and laity working in the Vatican are all invited to participate.
The tradition of an annual papal retreat at the Vatican dates back to the pontificate of Pius XI. Initially held during Advent, St. Paul VI moved it to Lent in 1964.
In 2014, Pope Francis introduced a new format, relocating the retreat to a spiritual house in Ariccia, southeast of Rome. During that period, curial cardinals and Vatican officials paused their work commitments to join the Pope for the week-long exercises.
However, in 2020, the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Francis would not attend due to a persistent cold. The following two years saw the retreat conducted individually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a format that continued in 2023 and 2024.
While the Pope will once again not be present this year, the Vatican emphasized that the retreat will remain a time of prayer and reflection, with participants uniting in spirit with the Holy Father as he continues his recovery.
