Silent Pope Re-Appears at Hospital Window amid Hopes for Easter Return

Pope John Paul II greeted hundreds of faithful supporters on Sunday from his hospital window – making the sign of the cross as he looked out to the courtyard of his Rome hospital. The Pope was making his second Sunday appearance from Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic since his return to sickness eleven days ago.

During the three-minute appearance the Pope continually waved and blessed the crowds, although he reportedly did not speak at all during the brief emergence.

On 1 February, the Pope was taken by ambulance to Gemelli after breathing spasms, but was later released on 10 February. After a few minor public displays, he was again rushed back to hospital on 24 February for throat surgery. Currently John Paul II is undergoing breathing and speech therapy as part of his rehabilitation at the clinic.

Since the surgery, the Pope has been unable to speak more than a few words, and so the Vatican taped Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, who is Argentine from the Pope’s secretary of state office, who read out a message from the Holy See.

The recording of the Angelus was delivered at St Peter’s to all Catholics that had gathered for the blessing. In it Sandri, speaking for the Pope, said:

"Again today I would like to renew my expression of gratitude for all those signs of affection that have reached me. I am thinking, in particular, of the numerous cardinals, priests and groups of faithful, of ambassadors and of the ecumenical delegations that have come to the Gemelli Polyclinic in these days. I desire to give special recognition for the closeness of believers of other religions, chiefly Jews and Muslims. Some of them have wanted to come and pray here at the hospital. This for me is a comforting sign, for which I give thanks to God."

Italian television showed the 84-year-old pontiff watching a television broadcast from St Peters Square as the aide read out the Pope’s address. It showed him then being pushed in a wheelchair to the window of his tenth-floor suite at the hospital to make the sign of the cross and to wave.

Since the Pope’s surprise appearance last week from his hospital window, the mood among Roman Catholics has been one of huge anticipation at whether a repeat appearance would occur this week. The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano led the summed up the atmosphere around the Vatican with a front-page headline reading: ‘The burning wait for that blessing hand.’

Traditionally, the Pope appears in his window overlooking St Peter’s Square at noon on Sunday’s to offer greetings and blessings to thousands of Catholics and tourists who gather week after week.
Vatican officials have reportedly said that the Pope hopes to preside over Easter ceremonies from the Vatican, even if he is still unable to speak.