Pope Francis released a message ahead of World Day of the Sick, which will take place on February 11.
In it, he says not to forget those suffering from illness in quarantine and isolation, and commends the work of healthcare workers tending to the ill during the pandemic, who he has said offer signs of compassion to those in difficulty.
POPE FRANCIS
'With you, patients often felt they had angels at their sides, who helped them recover their health, and who simultaneously consoled them, supported and sometimes accompanied them to the threshold of the final meeting with the Lord.'
The Pope makes no mention of vaccines, but praised the progress of new medical technologies to better care for the ill. Yet he emphasizes that such medical advancements must be made accessible to the poor, who struggle to find effective and affordable treatment.
Due to the pandemic the Day's closing celebration will be held in St. Peter's Basilica rather than in Arequipa, Peru, as originally planned.
World Day of the Sick was instituted thirty years ago by Pope John Paul II, nearly ten years before doctors confirmed he was suffering from Parkinson's disease. It is celebrated each February 11 on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
JM
