Pope Francis made his first public appearance on Sunday after undergoing bowel surgery last week, and greeted the faithful from a balcony of Rome's Gemelli hospital.
The pontiff
took advantage of the moment to call for an end to violence in Haiti
after the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moise, and encouraged the country to live fraternally, after praying the Angelus from a balcony of the medical center.
["We need help": Interim Government of Haiti requests the dispatch of US troops]
"In recent days my prayers have often been directed to Haiti after the assassination of the president, in which his wife was injured," Francisco said a week after his colon operation.
The Haitian president was assassinated by armed men who stormed his home in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, on July 7, while his wife Martine was shot, according to the acting Prime Minister, Claude Joseph.
The assassination of the president of Haiti had been in the works "for a long time"
July 9, 202101: 51
Francis joined the Haitian bishops' call to "lay down arms and choose life, to live together, fraternally, in the interest of all and of Haiti," the pope said.
"I am close to the dear Haitian people, I hope that the spiral of violence will cease and the nation can resume the path towards a future of peace and harmony," he said.
The Argentine pontiff
had already condemned the "heinous murder" of Moise
in a statement sent by his secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Recovery after colon surgery
The 84-year-old Francis is recovering apace, according to the Vatican, since his scheduled July 4 surgery in which part of his large intestine was removed.
Pope Francis appeared before the public on Sunday, July 11, after undergoing intestinal surgery.
He spoke from a balcony of the hispotal Gemelli in Rome, accompanied by child patients of that medical center.Alessandra Tarantino / AP
This Sunday,
his voice was somewhat weak when he greeted
a small crowd gathered outside the hospital
at noon
(local time).
It was the time when he would normally have looked out of a window overlooking St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
Francisco said: "I felt very much your closeness and the support of your prayers."
"Thank you from the heart!" Exclaimed the pontiff.
His hospitalization, he pointed out, is an opportunity to understand
"how important a good health service is, accessible to all, both in Italy and in other countries."
[Pope Francis "reacts well" after scheduled colon surgery]
"We must not lose something so precious," said the pope, who expressed his appreciation and encouraged all medical workers and hospital staff.
The crowd responded with applause.
On the balcony next to the pope there were several children who are hospital patients.
Pope Francis underwent surgery to remove part of his intestine
July 5, 202101: 58
Last week, shortly after the surgery, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Francis was expected to stay at the medical center for about seven days "barring complications."
[Pope Francis makes a call to watch over our environment]
An intervention like this involves
the
removal of the left side of the colon
and the fixation of the remaining parts of the large intestine.
Francis is housed in a special suite, on the tenth floor, which the hospital keeps available for the use of the pontiffs.
Pope John Paul II stayed there several times for various medical problems.
With information from AP and EFE
