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Pope Francis turns 88: a day of routine between good wishes and new projects

The Pontiff reaches an important milestone, without slowing down. Messages of good wishes from all over the world, including those from President Mattarella and Prime Minister Meloni

Today Pope Francis turns 88, symbolically blowing out the candles on a day that for him looks like any other, marked by the usual routine. Despite the many good wishes and gifts that will arrive from all over the world, the Pontiff – the 265th in history to leave St Peter’s – is not slowing down and remains focused on his commitment to the most disadvantaged, as he has always done from the first day of his pontificate.

Just today, an important revelation about his life emerges: according to a Corriere della Sera preview, in the Pope’s new autobiography, entitled ‘Spera’, it is reported that the British secret services foiled a double attack against him in 2021, during his trip to Iraq. The assassins were neutralised.

Francis, who is the third longest-serving Pontiff in history, after Leo XIII and Clement XII, continues to keep a busy schedule despite his known health conditions. Although he now uses a wheelchair or cane to move around, the Pope has not stopped travelling: last August he made the longest trip of his pontificate, visiting Jakarta and Singapore.

With the arrival of the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis will officially open the celebrations on 24 December, preparing for a year full of events. Among his future plans, the Pontiff expressed his desire to visit Nicaea for the 1700th anniversary of the Council.

In the meantime, leaders from around the world sent their best wishes to the Pope. The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, expressed his affection and gratitude in a message, highlighting the Pope’s fundamental role as a spiritual guide in a world marked by conflict. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also paid homage to the Pontiff with a message on social media, emphasising the importance of his teachings and wishing him continued inspiration.

Pope Francis, with his indefatigable spirit, still looks to the future, reminding us that ‘one governs with the head, not the knee’, a clear sign that, despite his ailments, his mission is far from over.

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