Originally published at National Catholic Register
The marathon’s press office described the gesture as a ‘huge, collective hug’ for Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized for bronchitis and double pneumonia since Feb. 14.
Over 30,000 runners will hold 42 seconds of silence for Pope Francis before the start of the Rome Marathon on Sunday morning.
The silence — 42 seconds for the 42 kilometers in a marathon — is a sign of closeness toward the ailing, 88-year-old Pope, who has been receiving medical treatment at Gemelli Hospital for a month.
“The greatest moment of recollection and silence in history at a shared sporting event will be dedicated to the Holy Father, a great fan of sports and the Rome Marathon,” the race’s press office said. More than 30,000 people from 126 countries have registered for the March 16 race.
The Rome Marathon, in its 30th year, will start close to the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums and will later cross with many of Rome’s most-visited sites, including Piazza Navona and Castel Sant’Angelo. At around the 10th mile of the 26-mile race, runners will go down Via della Conciliazione, the main thoroughfare to St. Peter’s Basilica, and around Bernini’s colonnade outside St. Peter’s Square.
The marathon’s
