BREAKING NEWS – An Italian website, Il Fatto Quotidiano has just reported that “Pope Francis was taken by ambulance to the Gemelli hospital in Rome and the audiences scheduled for the next two days were cancelled. This morning, Bergoglio regularly held the usual Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square. Immediately afterwards he returned to his residence, Casa Santa Marta, but suddenly canceled the interview he was supposed to record for the A Sua Immagine program with the presenter Lorena Bianchett.” (ORIGINAL ITALIAN: Papa Francesco ricoverato al Gemelli: arrivato in ambulanza, annullate udienze dei prossimi giorni – Il Fatto Quotidiano
The article goes on to say appointments and audiences in coming days have been cancelled. They did quote the Holy See Press Director but used only his words that you find below in his original statement.
I want to follow up on this story as well as the one about a new entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica for prayer-goers because, with all the information it gives, the story does not state where that entrance is! I spoke to some gendarmes in a Vatican office this morning and they did tell me that people still have to go through security. I was there to get a new Vatican ID card – nothing could have been easier, thank the Lord. I’ll try to get to the square and verify where that entrance is.
IN BRIEF
POPE AT ROME HOSPITAL FOR SCHEDULED TESTS: Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni said in a statement this afternoon that, “The Holy Father is at Gemelli since this afternoon for some previously scheduled check-ups.” The statement does not say if the Pope was admitted to Gemelli hospital or is there only for tests. (“Il Santo Padre si trova da questo pomeriggio al Gemelli per alcuni controlli precedentemente programmati.”)
FABRIC OF ST PETER’S FACILITATES ENTRY TO ST PETER’S BASILICA FOR PILGRIMS: A new initiative has been announced by the Fabric of Saint Peter (“Fabbrica di San Pietro”) – the Vatican institution responsible for the conservation and maintenance of St Peter’s Basilica – to make entry into the Vatican Basilica quicker and easier for those wishing to pray and participate in the Sacraments. A statement from the Fabbrica reads that “a new passageway dedicated to pilgrims and prayer-goers was opened in St Peter’s Square ad experimentum” on Tuesday morning, with the collaboration of the Vatican’s Italian Inspectorate of Public Security, the Governorate of the Vatican City State, and the Vatican Gendarmerie. The opening hours of the new route will be the same as those of the Basilica: every day from 6.50 am until 6.40 pm, and that admission does not require a ticket. FOR FULL STORY: Fabric of St Peter’s facilitates entry to St Peter’s Basilica for pilgrims – Vatican News
(CNA) –BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN FOR TLM ERECTED NEAR VATICAN – A group of Traditional Latin Mass supporters in Italy has sponsored a billboard campaign in a neighborhood near the Vatican. The campaign includes about a dozen billboards in four different designs. They were put up March 28 and will stay in place for 15 days, according to its organizers. Each billboard features a quotation in support of the Latin Mass from either Pope Benedict XVI, St. John Paul II, or Pope Pius V. Across the top, the billboards say: “For love of the pope. For the peace and unity of the Church. For the liberty of the Traditional Latin Mass.” ‘For love of the pope’: Latin Mass supporters post billboards near Vatican | Catholic News Agency
Joan's Rome 