Pope Francis prayed to the Angelus from the balcony of the hospital where he is admitted: “Thank you all, I have felt your prayers”

the dad Francisco he made his first public appearance since the operation last week on Sunday, waving to supporters from the hospital balcony.

Francisco, 84, is recovering, according to the Vatican, after the operation scheduled for July 4 to remove part of his large intestine. On Sunday, his voice sounded a bit weak as he greeted a small crowd outside the Gemelli Polyclinic at noon. It was around this time that it would have traditionally appeared from a window in the Vatican overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

Francisco said that “I was very sorry for your closeness and the support of your prayers”.

“Thank you with all my heart!“cried the pontiff. He declared that his hospitalization was an opportunity to understand”the importance of a good health service, accessible to all, as in Italy and in other countries. “

“We must not lose this precious thing,” the Pope said, adding his gratitude and encouragement to all health workers and hospital staff.

The crowd applauded in encouragement. Has been flanked by a few small children on the balcony who are hospital patients.

Before praying to the Angelus, he reviewed a passage from the Gospel that speaks of the anointing of the sick by Jesus of Nazareth, which helped him to share his own experience during those days of convalescence in the Roman hospital. “In these days of hospitalization, I experienced the importance of a good health service, accessible to all, like the one in Italy and in other countries. A health system that guarantees good service accessible to allHe said. And he exclaimed: “We must not lose this precious asset, we must keep it! And for that we must all fight, because it serves everyone and requires everyone’s contribution”.

In this sense, the Pope recognized that in the Church too, it happens “sometimes” that a health establishment does not do well for economic reasons or of bad management and “the first thing that comes to mind is to sell it “. “The vocation of the Church is not to earn money, but to be of service, and service is always free. Save the free institutions“, He said.

Francis appeared from his specially equipped papal apartment on the 10th floor of the hospital, as did John Paul II, who also prayed to the Angelus and waved from the 10th floor on his occasional stays. During an internment in 1996, the Polish pontiff laughingly declared that after so many occasions Gemelli had become “Vatican number three” after Saint Peter and the summer house of Castel Gandolfo.

Francois He leaned against a lectern and raised his hand in blessing..

The Pope had half of his colon removed on July 4 due to “severe” stenosis – a narrowing – of the large intestine, according to the Vatican report. If there are no complications, he will stay at Gemelli, which has a special suite for parents, until the end of the week. “His Holiness Pope Francis spent a quiet day, eating and moving around independently”, said the director of the Holy See press room, Matteo Bruni, in the last press release published this afternoon.

“He underwent routine tests, microbiological tests and computed tomography (CT) of his chest and abdomen, which came back negative.”added the Vatican spokesperson.

Francisco will have to spend another day in the hospital, if there are no complications.

Thursday afternoon, he officiated at mass in the papal suite “with all those who assisted him during his hospitalization,” the Vatican said.

The Argentine Pope was generally in good health, although in his youth he had a lung lobe removed due to an infection. He also suffers from sciatic nerve pain, which causes him to walk with a pronounced lameness.

(With information from the AP and AFP)

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