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

Nigerian bishops tell the pope: Our people are dying

As Christians in their country suffer increased persecution, the Nigerian bishops bring the hopes of a nation to

Mexico’s Cardinal Aguiar: Pope Leo XIV would like to visit Mexico ‘soon’ 

In a meeting with the primatial archbishop of Mexico, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar, Pope Leo XIV expressed his desire

Vatican cancels Pope Francis’ trip to climate conference in Dubai, citing ongoing illness

Pope Francis will not attend the United Nations COP28 climate conference in Dubai this week due to his continuing struggles with lung inflammation stemming from influenza,

2 Syrian girls share ‘moving testimony’ at Jubilee of Youth event

Stories from the Jubilee of Youth you may have missed.

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: Liturgical Calendar Highlights for November 2023

Pope Francis: Liturgical Calendar Highlights for November 2023

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNVatican.com