Pope leaves Gemelli after 10 days; aides say he'll ease into schedule

Published: 2005-02-10

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II left the hospital after 10 days of treatment for respiratory problems, and aides said he planned to ease back into his schedule of daily activities. Applauded by patients and staff as he departed Gemelli Hospital, the 84-year-old pope rode back to the Vatican in his popemobile. Accompanied by two aides, he waved occasionally to well-wishers, some of whom had waited hours for a glimpse of the pontiff. Crowds gathered at each of the Vatican's gates and in St. Peter's Square to greet the pope on his return. A Vatican statement earlier in the day said the pope's throat inflammation had been "cured" and that tests had ruled out other complications. After re-entering the Vatican, the pope was expected to consult with his personal doctor before setting his agenda of events for coming days, said Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. The spokesman did not say whether the pope would make his usual appearance for the Sunday Angelus Feb. 13. Navarro-Valls told Vatican Radio that he presumed the pope was impatient to resume his regular calendar of meetings, speeches and liturgies, but he added that the pope was also "obedient to the doctors." Before leaving the hospital, the pope prepared a letter of thanks to his entire medical team, including doctors, nurses, technicians and others, Navarro-Valls said. Catholic News Service obtained a copy of the letter, dated Feb. 10 and addressed to Lorenzo Ornaghi, rector of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, which runs Gemelli Hospital. "At the vigil of the 13th celebration of the World Day of the Sick, I invoke, with trust, the heavenly protection of the Blessed Virgin of Lourdes on you, your collaborators, the entire university and the patients at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic. And in a special way on the babies, that I feel in these days I am particularly close (to)," the letter said.

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