Skip to content

Pope Francis celebrates Mass, records ‘popecast’ for 10th anniversary

Pope Francis marked his 10th anniversary as pope Monday with a private Mass with cardinals and an appearance on what Vatican News has dubbed a “popecast.”

The nine-minute podcast, released only in Italian, was published on the Vatican News website and on Spotify.

“It seems like yesterday,” Francis said, referring to his election to the papacy on March 13, 2013.

“The time is ‘pressurous,’” he continued, making up a word in Italian. “It’s in a hurry. And when you want to seize today, it is already yesterday.”

These past 10 years were lived in this tension, he added.

Pope Francis’ schedule was free of public meetings on March 13 except for a Mass at 8 a.m. in the chapel inside his Vatican residence.

The private Mass at the Santa Marta guesthouse was concelebrated with cardinals. The Vatican did not release any other details, including information about the pope’s homily.

In the “popecast,” Pope Francis said “the most beautiful moment” of his pontificate was with elderly in St. Peter’s Square in 2014.

Some of the most painful moments, instead, were those connected to the horror of war, including visits to military cemeteries, the 2013 prayer vigil for peace in Syria, and others.

He said he hates the fact that in wars such as the one between Russia and Ukraine, many young men, of either side, never get to go home.

The gift he most wants for his anniversary, he said, is “peace.”

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

More news related to this article

Pope Francis to open Holy Door in Roman prison on feast of St. Stephen for 2025 Jubilee

Pope Francis will open a Holy Door in Rome’s Rebibbia prison on Dec. 26.

PHOTOS: A timeline of Pope Francis’ 11 years as pope

March 13 marks the anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the 266th successor of St. Peter.
Behind the Scenes of the EWTN Summer Academy.

EWTN Summer Academy Forms the Next Generation of Catholic Journalists in Rome

ROME — For 10 days each summer, the heart of the Catholic Church becomes a classroom. This year,

Pope Leo XIV pays tribute to martyred cardinal who saved thousands of Jews

Pope Leo XIV honored Cardinal in Pectore Iuliu Hossu, Romanian Greek Catholic bishop and “pastor and martyr of the faith” under communism, commemorated Monday at the Vatican for saving thousands of Jews during World War II.

Pope Francis ‘Deeply Saddened’ by Shooting at Prague university

Pope Francis offered his condolences on Friday morning after 14 people were killed and 25 injured in a mass shooting at a university in Prague.

Pope Francis: Young people ‘can break the chains of antagonism’ between Catholics, Orthodox

Pope Francis urges young people to unite Catholics and Orthodox, overcoming centuries of antagonism. At a Thursday audience with Metropolitan Agathangelos, he emphasized collaboration and education.

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNVatican.com