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

Cardinal Grech at European assembly: ‘The synod is not there to destroy Catholic identity’

The chief organizer of the Catholic Church’s Synod on Synodality said Wednesday night that the global synod process

‘This Is Life-Changing’: Missionaries Of Mercy Gather In Rome For Jubilee Of Hope

Around 500 priests instituted as Missionaries of Mercy gathered in Rome March 28–30 to take part in events for a special jubilee dedicated to their role, part of the wider 2025 Jubilee of Hope.

Manila’s feast of the Black Nazarene draws 9.6 million devotees

In a fiery homily at the fiesta Mass for the feast of the Black Nazarene, Bishop Rufino Sescon

Analysis: Meeting the World to Convert the World

COMMENTARY: In proclaiming Jesus Christ as the answer to the question that is every human life, Catholicism is, was, and always will be a culture-reforming counterculture.

Pope Francis: A Christian life based on achieving higher positions is ‘pure paganism’

Pope Francis said Wednesday that everyone in the Church is equal in dignity, thus a focus on hierarchical

PHOTOS: Rosary procession in St. Peter’s Square honors the Blessed Virgin Mary

St. Peter’s Square was illuminated by candlelight the night of Saturday, May 20, 2023, as pilgrims prayed the rosary in a procession in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNVatican.com