Pope Francis issued a message Sunday thanking volunteers for the “miracle of tenderness” they offer the sick, as he continued his recovery from double pneumonia and doctors reported positive news. After more than three weeks in the hospital,

Pope Francis shares message from hospital bed after ‘gradual improvement’ - The Holy See distributed the message the pope would have delivered at his weekly noon blessing if he were well enough

Time-honored rituals, drafted and refined over centuries, allow time for mourning and provide order at a dramatic moment of transition.