After 38 days of hospitalization at Gemelli, Pope Francis returns to show himself .
The Pope appeared for a few seconds on the balcony of the Roman hospital, from which he was later discharged, in front of a crowd of faithful who applauded him and chanted for him ("Francis, Francis").
Visibly tired , Bergoglio made his first public appearance since February 14. He did so on the occasion of the Angelus, which today, as in recent weeks, was released in written form.
"I thank everyone, I greet this lady with the yellow flowers," said the Pontiff with a tired voice. Sitting in his wheelchair, he pronounced the words of greeting to the faithful from a microphone and smiled, turning to the crowd, thanking them and making the thumbs up gesture .
Then he left the hospital where he was being treated for bilateral pneumonia and a polymicrobial respiratory infection on board his white Fiat 500. The gendarmes helped him into the car, which made its way through the crowd of faithful; the Pontiff did not lower the window to greet them. Now at least two months of rest and convalescence await him in Santa Marta , during which he will continue to lead the Church. Here too, a crowd of faithful awaited him, applauding him and singing. On the way, an unscheduled stop at Santa Maria Maggiore surprised the many faithful who were visiting the basilica. Francis stopped only for a few minutes for a prayer without getting out of the car: he had a bouquet of flowers placed at the side entrance of the church as a sign of thanksgiving to the Madonna, then the procession of cars resumed its journey towards the Vatican.
THE ANGELUS
In the Angelus text, Pope Francis also spoke of his long hospital stay: "I have had the opportunity to experience the patience of the Lord, which I also see reflected in the tireless care of doctors and healthcare workers , as well as in the care and hopes of the families of the sick. This trusting patience, anchored in the love of God that never fails, is truly necessary in our lives, especially to face the most difficult and painful situations."
The Pope thanked the many prayers for him and invited the faithful to pray also for peace , citing "the martyred Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo". "May the Virgin Mary protect us and continue to accompany us on the journey towards Easter".
(Unioneonline/L)
