On Friday, June 16 around 9 a.m., Pope Francis left Rome's Gemelli Hospital after undergoing surgery.
A few hours later, he met with a group of bishops from Southern African on their Ad Limina visit. They were originally scheduled to meet with the Pope in the morning. But it was postponed until the afternoon.
ABP. STEPHEN BRISLIN
Archdiocese of Cape Town, South Africa
He looked relaxed. He looked actually very well. He was laughing, joking a little bit with us. He gave us an incredibly good message just about what sort of bishops we should be and what our calling is. He did look a little bit uncomfortable from time to time, which I would expect after an operation like that.
But Pope Francis had already started working from the hospital. For example, he sent two telegrams, signed by Cardinal Parolin, to Berlusconi's daughter after her father's death and for the victims of the shipwreck off the Greek coast.
On Sunday, before a St. Peter's Square full of pilgrims, the Pope appeared 10 days after his surgery, thanking everyone who helped him during his stay at the hospital.
POPE FRANCIS
I wish to express my gratitude to those who, during my hospitalization at Policlinico Gemelli, showed me affection, care and friendship, and assured me of prayerful support.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will not hold his weekly General Audience, this Wednesday.
Otherwise, the Pope is back on schedule and has a week full of appointments. On Monday alone, he held seven private meetings. One of them, with members of the National Eucharistic Congress of the United States.
BP. KEVIN RHOADES
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana
Pope Francis was in very good spirits. I was suprised, I thought he would come in on a wheelchair, but he actually walked in, he was using a cane. He walked in pretty briskly and was clearly happy to be back in public. He was very warm in his greetings to us and smiling and it just seemed that he was happy to meet with us.
On Tuesday, the Pope is expected to receive the President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, who announced he will visit the Vatican City State on his Twitter account. No official confirmation has been given so far by the Holy See.
Likewise, there is no official confirmation of the meeting that Pope Francis will have with Brazil's President Lula Da Silva on June 21. The Brazilian president also announced the meeting on Twitter. But, unlike the Cuban president, he confirmed he would meet with the Pope.
CA
TR: KG
