Pope Francis returned to the Vatican this morning after being discharged from the Gemelli clinic following his June 7 abdominal hernia surgery. The Holy Father's first journey – as usual – led to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he prayed in front of the Salus Populi Romani (Savior of the Roman people) icon of Mary.
The director of the Szentszék Press Center, Matteo Bruni, gave information in a short statement yesterday that Pope Francis will be released from the hospital this morning. According to Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who operated on the pope, Pope Francis is doing well, even better than before the operation.
Leaving the hospital, Pope Francis greeted the people standing in front of the building, who awaited him with applause, singing, great joy and emotion. The Holy Father's face was worn, but his smile was the same when he once again jokingly replied to journalists inquiring about his whereabouts: "I'm still alive!" He then expressed his sympathy for the boat accident in Greece, which may have killed hundreds of refugees.
Leaving the hospital, the Pope kept his custom of making a detour to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome to stop to pray in front of the Salus Populi Romani icon.
Matteo Bruni regularly informed members of the press about the surgery and the Holy Father's recovery. There were no complications during the operation. In time, Pope Francis is expected to be able to travel again and resume his normal activities, but he will not be able to lift heavy objects.
Due to the operation and subsequent recovery, the Pope's audiences were suspended until June 18, Sunday.
Pope Francis will travel to Portugal between August 2nd and 6th for the World Youth Summit, and will pay an apostolic visit to Mongolia between August 31st and September 4th.
On the morning of Thursday, June 15, Pope Francis visited the pediatric oncology department of the Gemelli Clinic. During his stay there, the Holy Father thanked the medical staff for taking care of him and
"they alleviate the suffering of others not only with medicines, but with tenderness and humanity".
The Agostino Gemelli University Clinic is the largest hospital in Rome, the teaching hospital of the medical faculty of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore). The institution was named after the Franciscan monk, physician and psychologist Agostino Gemelli (1878–1959), who was also the founder and first rector of the university.
Source and photo: Vatican News English page
