Flowers, letters, and children's drawings for pope at Gemelli Hospital

(ANSA) - ROME, 15 OTT - Flowers, letters, and children's drawings for Pope Leo XIV have been piling up beneath St John Paul II's statue at Gemelli Hospital where the 71-year-old American pontiff has been hospitalised for three days and where he had lung-cancer surgery on Tuesday. "Hi Pope, let my dad—and my mom—take care of you!" reads one note, decorated with many hearts. Another says, "Pope, we're waiting for you; come see us when you're feeling better!"—signed with the colorful handprints of many small children. These are among the drawings left at the foot of the large statue of Saint John Paul II—which "watches over" the sick in the courtyard of the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital—nestled alongside small bouquets of flowers, candles, and portraits, all addressed to the distinguished patient, Leo. Meanwhile, other letters from children—young patients at the Roman hospital—are being hand-delivered to the gendarmes on duty. As Leo enters his third day of hospitalization at the Gemelli, the outpouring of affection and prayer for the Pontiff continues. Having suddenly found himself vulnerable, he did not hesitate for a moment to undergo an emergency surgical procedure, hoping to salvage a schedule packed with international commitments. Yet, much like what happened just a year and a half ago with Francis, even a figure as prominent—and only seemingly all-powerful—as a Pope finds himself sharing the uncertain fate of many other patients, who perhaps now see him as even more relatable and human. Among these are, first and foremost, the children who attend a preschool at the Gemelli—a facility designed for those undergoing long-term treatment, such as the young patients in the pediatric oncology ward, which is located on the very same floor—the tenth—as the one where Leone is staying. "In this Mass, once again, we entrust to the Lord our dear Holy Father, who has been a patient here at our hospital for the past few days. Let us pray that he may experience this time with serenity and trust, supported by the expertise and dedication of those who are caring for him," said the chaplain, Father Nunzio Currao, during the midday Mass—voicing the sentiment shared by everyone in the hospital. The presence of the papal entourage is discreet, yet constantly monitored by gendarmes and police officers, while the large hospital complex remains bustling with a steady stream of people—some arriving for appointments, others for treatments or check-ups. Many stop to pray in the chapel, lighting candles or kneeling before a statue of the Virgin Mary or other devotional figures, such as Saint Teresa of Ávila, whose feast day is celebrated today. For the time being, the Pope is resting and continuing his work; it is possible that he may soon receive visitors, or perhaps, once he is mobile, he might visit other hospital wards—much as Pope Francis has done, and as John Paul II also did on several occasions during his own numerous hospital stays. (ANSA).
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