Hardly any visible public sympathy for Pope Francis

Immersed in praying the rosary, Sister Geneviève Jeanningros sits in front of the large statue of Pope John Paul II at the main entrance to the Gemelli Clinic in Rome. Six floors above the nun in the blue robe lies a close friend - Pope Francis - fighting for his life. The condition of the 88-year-old head of the church continues to deteriorate. But the visible sympathy of the public is limited.

On Sunday morning, only a few people arrive at the hospital below the Pope's flat; the number of journalists clearly outweighs the visitors. Every new visitor is immediately surrounded by camera crews; interview partners are hard to find these days.

Sister Geneviève, who Francis still knows from his time in Argentina and who often brought homosexual and transsexual people to him in the Vatican, is a favourite subject for the photographers. But you can't pray here in peace like this, the nun summarises. Nevertheless, it was important to her to be close to Francis. She was shocked by the news of the Pope's blood transfusion and shortness of breath on Saturday evening. That is why she also declined to visit Francis in person. She did not want to transmit any possible pathogens to him. "We are full of it!" says Sister Geneviève.

Visible sympathy? Not at all.

Francis has been receiving treatment for a complex respiratory and lung infection at the Gemelli Clinic in Rome for over a week. On Saturday, the Vatican described his condition as "still critical" and Francis was "not out of danger". The obligatory "well" was missing from his nightly recovery in Sunday's short message.

But apart from a few candles, flowers and balloons in front of the clinic, there is hardly any visible sympathy from people for Francis' condition. This was different in the final phase of John Paul II's pontificate. Back then, people flocked to St Peter's Square in droves, recalls Italian Vatican expert Marco Politi. Many non-believers were also shocked when the Polish pope was dying.

However, two factors are currently different for Francis: firstly, the Pope is not in the Vatican, but in a clinic just outside the centre of Rome. Secondly, Francis' health is fluctuating, deteriorating and improving again. "And so public opinion doesn't really want to believe that this could be a tragic moment. Or there is still great hope that he will survive," says Politi.

In addition, unlike in 2005, people today are used to expressing their consensus via social media with a "like". This could also be a reason for the lack of willingness to visit the Gemelli hospital on foot, by car or by bus and thus show Pope Francis physical proximity.

Substitute lunchtime prayer for the sick Pope

The nun Geneviève wanted to make exactly this "pilgrimage". It was important to her to show her closeness to Francis. But praying? Better to do that at home, she says, looking at the media besieging the hospital. Shortly before 12 noon, reinforcements arrive for the few devout visitors: Over 50 people, mainly dressed in black, enter the hospital forecourt.

It is the time when the Pope actually says his midday prayer in front of people in St Peter's Square every Sunday. Members of the "Casa di Maria" (House of Mary) community have been taking part in the Angelus prayer in front of St Peter's every week for decades. As it is now the second week that it has been cancelled and the Pope's address is only distributed in writing, the group comes together in front of Gemelli.

During his hospitalisation, they wanted to accompany him all the more in prayer, explains the priest Michele Reschini. The community is supported by the Pope's former representative as Bishop of Rome, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis. He hopes that the Pope will feel this strong embrace - an embrace of the group together with the people of Rome. And so perhaps more people will be there, at least mentally.