Pope Francis surprised with his strength

MANILA, Philippines - Pope Francis would normally get tired after hours of giving speeches and standing in a popemobile, but even the 78-year-old pontiff is surprised with his strength to do “so much.”

This, the pope believes, is the grace of the office God has given him, according to Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi.

“This is wonderful. But we are always very surprised that a man of his age can do what he is doing. It was also very, very surprising,” Lombardi said in a press briefing at the Diamond Hotel on Saturday night.

While the public becomes energized upon seeing the pope, Lombardi said the pontiff also draws energy from those who come to see him.

Lombardi said he asked the pope once during their visit in South Korea about his vitality.

“This mission to service and pastor gives me strength that I never thought I would have,” Lombardi recalled the pope telling him.  

“He is the first person surprised how he can, given his age, do so much. In a sense, that explains clearly (how and why) he does his service for the Church,” he said.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle also said that the pope gets tired but he is easily energized whenever he sees the crowd who would patiently wait so they may see him.

“At the end of every event I would ask him, ‘How are you? You feel tired?’ And he is very frank and would say, ‘Yes, a little,’” Tagle said.

But even if the pope would feel spent, “he stands up when he sees a crowd. He would say, ‘They have been waiting for me, why deprive them of this opportunity?’” he added.