As I am sure all of our readers have heard by now, during the Angelus in St Peter’s yesterday, Pope Leo stated that his doctors had discovered a nodule in one of his lungs “localized, and detected at a very early stage”, and that he will shortly undergo a surgical procedure to remove it.
We encourage everyone to pray for the success of this operation, and a swift recovery for the Holy Father. Today is the 20th anniversary of the death of Carlo Acutis, who was one of the first two Saints canonized by Pope Leo at his first (and thus far only) canonization, the other being Pier Giorgio Frassati. St Carlo died of cancer, and St Pier Giorgio of polio, which frequently afflicts the lungs; it would be especially appropriate to invoke their intercession on his behalf.And once again, we share this image from Pax inter Spinas, the printing house of the Monastère Saint-Benoît in Brignole, France, which contains the traditional prayers for the Pope said at Benediction and other occasions, including the invocation, “May the Lord preserve him and grant him long life.”
