Argentines pray for Pope Francis' recovery as he remains in critical condition

Hundreds of Argentines attended a special mass Monday for Pope Francis, who is hospitalized in critical condition with pneumonia in Rome.

The faithful gathered in Buenos Aires' Constitution Square, the same location where Jorge Bergoglio, before becoming pope, used to give mass and speak out against inequality and injustice.

Waving Argentine flags and holding placards wishing the pontiff a speedy recovery, the crowd prayed, sang hymns, partook in the Eucharist, and chanted, “Viva el Papa Francisco” (Long Live Pope Francis).

“May our prayer be the breath of fresh air that reaches his lungs,” said Jorge Garcia Cuerva, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, in his sermon.

Among the well-wishers, Mariana Martinez, 49, told AFP that Bergoglio, before leaving Argentina in 2013 to assume the papacy, “was the first priest I came across on a subway. And seeing him close, with the people, I always liked. That is why he is my mentor, he is my father, and he is my priest.”

The Vatican reported Monday that the 88-year-old pontiff, diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, remains in critical condition but has shown a “slight improvement.”