Pope Francis celebrates 88! His tight program remains unbroken

Pope Francis celebrates 88! His tight program remains unbroken

Vatican City, December 16, 2024 – A historic moment for Pope Francis! The Argentine-born pontiff will be 88 years old on December 17th and, as of October 16th, 2024, is the second oldest reigning pope in church history, with an impressive 32,082 days of life. Only Leo XIII. was older and died in 1903 at the blessed age of 93. To break that record, Francis would have to remain in office until May 2030, when he could be celebrated with 93 candles on his birthday cake. These age data are not only impressive, but also represent a challenge, especially given his health problems, which, among other things, forced him into a wheelchair, such as kathpress reported.

Francis, who was elected pope on March 13, 2013, succeeded Benedict XVI. and remains a defining figure in the Catholic Church. His life's journey from humble beginnings in Buenos Aires to the highest church office is marked by a deep commitment to social justice and reform. His upcoming plans are ambitious: on December 24, 2024, he will open the “Holy Year 2025” and expects over 30 million visitors to Rome. Despite his physical limitations, he remains active and committed, even when dealing with serious health setbacks, such as a bruise on his chin after a fall vatican news described in detail.

His leadership style, coupled with humor and humanity, has resulted in him receiving both admiration and challenges. The pope plans to visit Turkey next year to commemorate the Council of Nicaea - an important event that dates back 1,700 years. As he continues his reform plans for the Catholic Church, initiated in the World Synod, he shows his tireless determination to be the voice of the most vulnerable in society. As he approaches a new phase of his life and faces health challenges, he is faced with the important task of leading the Catholic Church further into a modern future.