Pope leaves hospital ‘in better shape than before’, says doctor

Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital this Friday (16), nine days after surgery to remove an abdominal hernia. The doctor said he is stronger than before. The 86-year-old pontiff left the Gemelli Clinic in Rome in a wheelchair, smiling and waving to reporters and supporters at the main entrance as he was led to a waiting car. “The pope is fine. He is in better shape than before,” said Sergio Alfieri, who operated on Francis on June 7. The Vatican reported that he will offer the midday prayer on Sunday (18) in St. Peter’s Square, and will resume private audiences next week, but will not attend Wednesday’s general audience (21) in the square,” to safeguard your post-operative recovery”. Francis is expected to receive Cuban President Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel next Tuesday, diplomatic sources told Reuters. As he was being led to his car, Francis was asked about the latest migrant tragedy off the coast of Greece, where at least 79 people drowned in the early hours of Wednesday and hundreds are missing, possibly dead. “So much pain, so much pain,” he was quoted as saying by Italian media. Before returning to the Vatican, the pope stopped to pray in front of an image of Our Lady, in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of his customs when he returns from a trip or a hospital stay. Arriving at a Vatican gate, he briefly got out of the car and, standing for a minute, thanked members of the Italian police escort. Alfieri said the pope was well enough to travel. Francisco goes to Portugal at the beginning of August and to Mongolia at the end of the same month. “He will be able [de desempenhar suas funções] better than before, because you will no longer have the discomfort. He will be a stronger pope,” said Alfieri. “He’s already back to work. We asked him to rest a little and I’m sure that this time he will listen to us a little more, because he has some important commitments that he told us he would respect.” “The pope told us: ‘Thank you, pray for me, I’m still alive’ ” said Alfieri. Traditionally, the pope takes the entire month of July off, with Sunday blessings his only public appearances, so he will have the next month to rest before his travels. content.

Agência Brasil