Pope Francis discharged from hospital in Rome following surgery
Rome, Italy
CNN
—
Pope Francis was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital Friday where the 86-year-old was recovering from abdominal surgery.
The Pontiff left hospital in a wheelchair and spoke with well-wishers and medical staff who had gathered outside the entrance to say goodbye, as seen on a CNN video.
People had also lined the walkway outside the the facility in a bid to see the pope, who smiled and waved to those waiting.
He was surrounded by security as he left and was assisted into a waiting car.
Pope Francis had remained in Rome’s Gemelli hospital after undergoing abdominal surgery last Wednesday. He had resumed his work from the hospital and will be taken back to the Vatican following his release.
On Thursday, the director of the Vatican Press Office Matteo Bruni said medical staff reported that the Pontiff had “rested well during the night. The clinical course continues regularly. Hematochemical examinations are in the normal range.”
Earlier that day, “as a token of thanks, he received the entire operating team formed by the medical staff, nurses, social and health workers and auxiliaries who coordinated, performed and made the surgery possible last June 7,” Bruni added.
The Pontiff also visited children in the Pediatric Oncology and Children’s Neurosurgery ward “who in recent days have expressed their affection to the Pope through numerous letters, drawings and messages of speedy recovery are cared for,” Bruni said.
“In greeting those present, His Holiness extended his thanks to all the health care staff for their professionalism and efforts to alleviate each other’s suffering with tenderness and humanity in addition to medication,” he said.
An earlier version of this article misstated the time of the Pope’s release
