While many of his younger Italian brethren might still be sleeping, Rome’s 77-year-old bishop is up at 4:45 a.m., and ready for another 15-hour day. Though he only has one fully functioning lung, he has maintained a rigorous and demanding schedule during his first 15 months of office, according to the Italian daily La Stampa, which published some interesting statistics on the pope that were confirmed by the Vatican.
Since his March 2013 installation Mass, Pope Francis has drawn some 6 million attendees to his audiences and Angelus, his Sunday morning address in St. Peter’s Square. He has celebrated 229 daily Masses at his St. Martha residence in Vatican City and has interacted with 12,000-some individuals who have attended.
He has also:
* Attended 95 major liturgical celebrations or events
* Given 231 speeches
* Crafted 73 official homilies and delivered 73 Angelus addresses
* Hosted 54 general audiences (his midweek address in St. Peter’s Square)
* Spent 150 hours outside during these audiences in both winter and summer
* Delivered 55 messages
* Taken two official trips abroad (one to the Mideast in May 2014 and one to Brazil in July 2013)
* Embarked on four trips within Italy
* Visited five Roman parishes in his official capacity
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