On Sunday, March 23, 2025, amidst loud cheers and cries of joy "Viva il papa" from nearly 3,000 pilgrims, tourists, and other Romans, waving flags and banners at the foot of the Gemelli Hospital, the Pope made his first appearance and spoke his first words after 38 days of hospitalization.

Pope Francis, 88 years old, wheelchair-bound and visibly weakened, greeted and gave his blessing to the many faithful present to express his gratitude to all those who, during this period of illness, had shown him affection, attention, and friendship, and assured him of their prayerful support. From the hospital balcony, he particularly thanked a woman in the crowd who presented him with a bouquet of yellow and white flowers, the colors of the Vatican. "I see this lady with yellow flowers, how kind she is," he said with a slight smile before giving a thumbs-up to say she was well.

After this first contact with the faithful in five weeks, the Pope left the hospital by car to go to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. The Holy Father offered the cardinal-archpriest of the Roman basilica a bouquet of flowers to be placed at the feet of the icon of the Virgin, before returning to the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican to begin a convalescence that will last at least two months, according to his doctors. https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-44535-icihaiti-flash-pope-francis-returns-to-the-vatican-this-sunday.html

IH/ S/ iciHaiti