On the third day of his hospitalization, March 31, 2023, Pope Francis visited children in care at the Pediatric Oncology Department of Gemelli Hospital, and baptized a newborn, Miguel Angel.
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Hospitalized on Wednesday March 29 for “infectious bronchitis”, the Pope’s state of health is reassuring, as evidenced by the first photos of his stay in hospital. This Friday, March 31, in the afternoon, he went to the pediatric oncology department of the Gemelli hospital, to meet children, bring them rosaries, chocolate eggs (with a little advance…) and copies of the book Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea (Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea). The Pope was also able to baptize a newborn baby a few weeks old, named Miguel Angel.
© Holy See Press Office
In the three photos and the video of the baptism released by the Press Office of the Holy See, we discover Pope Francis standing, walking with the help of a walker. These are the first images of Pope Francis since his hospitalization for respiratory problems began on March 29.
During his previous hospitalization, in July 2021 for a colon operation, the Pope had also taken the time to visit the sick, and he had been surrounded by children during the Angelus pronounced from the balcony of the hospital. This time, the 86-year-old pope is suffering from bronchitis but he has responded well to therapy and is expected to return to the Vatican on Saturday April 1, according to the Vatican. He is also expected in Place Saint-Pierre this Sunday, April 2 for the Palm Sunday Mass, which he should preside over, delivering the homily.
[EN IMAGES] Francis, a pope full of tenderness:
