Rosary to be held at earlier time and will move inside Paul VI Hall before resuming in a "renewed form" after 14 March.

The Vatican is changing the time and location of the nightly Rosary prayer for Pope Francis which, from Monday 10 March, will be held inside the Paul VI Hall at 18.00.

The Rosary, which has taken place in St Peter's Square every night at 21.00 since 24 February, will move to the earlier time to "coincide with Spiritual Exercises of the Roman Curia", the Holy See press office said on Sunday.

Those who wish to pray for Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia in Rome's Gemelli Hospital for more than three weeks, can still gather in St Peter's Square and participate in the Rosary via video link from the Paul VI Hall.

The Rosary will also be broadcast on Vatican News media channels.

The Vatican said that at the conclusion of the Spiritual Exercises on Friday 14 March, the "community prayer will resume in a renewed form, remaining a sign of faith and ecclesial communion."

Scenes from St Peter’s Square tonight where thousands of faithful have gathered to pray for Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/44vKzcBPGG— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) February 24, 2025

In a health update over the weekend the Vatican said the 88-year-old pontiff remains in a stable condition and has shown a good response to therapy.

Doctors said the pope's clinical condition was showing "a gradual, slight improvement" but cautioned that his prognosis remained "guarded".

On Thursday evening a surprise audio message from the pontiff was played at the Rosary in St Peter's Square, in which a breathless, weak-sounding Francis thanked everyone for their prayers, in what was his first public sign of life in three weeks.

In a text that he prepared for the Angelus prayer on Sunday, the pope said: "I too experience the thoughtfulness of service and the tenderness of care, in particular from the doctors and healthcare workers, whom I thank from the bottom of my heart.”