Vatican City, January 20, 2023 (KAP) The Pope’s traditional break at the beginning of Lent will also take place this year in a private setting. As the Vatican announced on Friday, Francis is encouraging Rome-based cardinals and curia heads to return to inner contemplation. They must suspend their work from February 26th to March 3rd and retire for prayer. The Pope also does not want to make any public commitments this week; the March 1 general hearing was cancelled.
Until 2019, before the Corona pandemic, Francis invited top Curia officials to an almost week-long retreat every year during Lent at a formation house in Alban Hills, near Rome. In addition to silence and joint prayer, they heard talks from a spiritual speaker.