On Sunday, the Vatican posted the first photo of Pope Francis since he was hospitalized 31 days ago, showing him confronting the altar in a small chapel, which is part of his private apartment at a hospital in Rome.
Francis first celebrated Mass with other priests since he was admitted to the Policlinico A. Gemelli hospital, Vatican said. On Sunday, he continued his physiotherapy – both motor and respiratory – and he seemed to “benefit from her,” the Vatican said.
The pope was shown in a photo wearing purple stolen, which reflected that this was the time of Lent.
Earlier that day, the balloons in the Vatican colors of yellow and white were held by dozens of children gathered in the square in front of the hospital and sang “Pope Francesco” and cheered “Viva La Pace” – evil for peace.
Many kept the inscriptions, hoping that the Pope could peek through the windows of his hospital apartment on the 10th floor to see their art. They offered encouragement, wanting the Pope to become well soon. One boy with a tumultuous group of blue-yellow “Castorini” or Beavers, because the children were too young to be scouts in Italy, and held a sign that said “Ciao Pope Cesco, I love you a lot.”
The Pope did not appear on the windows of his apartment on the 10th floor, but admitted to the children’s presence in his traditional Sunday blessing and prayer.
“I know many children pray for me; Some of them came here today in Gemelli as a sign of closeness, “” PontiF said in offer his traditional Sunday blessing, which has not been delivered to the fifth time. “Thanks, your favorite children! The Pope loves you and is always waiting for you to meet you, “Francis wrote.
The Reverend Enzo Fortunato, Chairman of the Pontifical Committee for World Children’s Day, who organized a gathering, said “children are transmitting joy”, and their presence in the square was “Symbolic Medicine for Pope Francis.”
Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on February 14 with respiratory infections and bronchitis that developed in both lungs into pneumonia. He suffered several failures, including mild kidney failure and several respiratory crises. He was in a critical state until last Monday, when doctors said he was no longer in the immediate danger of die of pneumonia.
Nevertheless, his condition remains complex because of his age-88-like and his already existing lung diseases. In 1957, Francis removed part of his right lung.
His condition is stable last week. On Saturday, the Vatican said that Francis was still demanding “hospital medical therapy, motor and respiratory physiotherapy”, treatments that “show further, gradual improvements.” The Vatican also said that doctors gradually reduce the need for non -invasive mechanical ventilation at night, replacing it with high flow oxygen therapy.
In Sunday’s written address, Francis acknowledged his fragility.
“I am facing a trial period and I join so many brothers and sisters who are sick: fragile, at the time, like me,” he said. “Our bodies are weak, but even like this, nothing can prevent us from love, we pray, give ourselves, be for each other, in faith, great signs of hope.”
Some 50 children from Caivano, impoverished city He woke up at dawn on the periphery of Naples to be at Gemelli Hospital.
“The Pope is a pope of peace for them, he is their hero in the modern world where the heroes are in the absence,” said Andrea Iacomini, a spokeswoman for UNICEf Italy, who followed them.
