Advertise in this spot on CatholicCulture.org. View all ads.

Catholic World News News Feature

Brief papal appearance at hospital window February 27, 2005

Pope John Paul II came to the window of his hospital room to wave to the public on Sunday, after missing an Angelus audience for the first time in his 26-year pontificate.

On Saturday, a Vatican announcement had indicated that the Pope would join in praying the Angelus, from his hospital room. But the announcement said that Archbishop Leonardo Sandri would lead the Angelus, and deliver the blessing in the Pope's name. There was no indication that the Pope would make any appearance.

This was the first time since his papal election in October 1978 that John Paul II had not taken a public role in the Sunday audience. Ordinarily he leads the praying of the Angelus, delivers a short message, and gives his blessing. In recent months, because of his difficulty in speaking, he has often allowed an aide to read the bulk of his prepared message. And on February 6, during his previous hospital stay, the Pope let Archbishop Sandri lead the Angelus, but still gave his apostolic blessing-- in a halting voice-- from the window of his room in Gemelli Hospital.

But although his public appearance was not expected today, the Pope did come to the window, flanked by Cardinal Angelo Sodano and his Polish secretary, Msgr. Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki. He waved to the cheering crowd below, and made a few gestures of blessing.

The Pope's appearance from the hospital was not shown in St. Peter's Square during the Angelus audience. There, visitors saw older images of a young John Paul II on the giant screens set up for the weekly audience.

"The sovereign Pontiff is not with us, but he is following us from the Gemelli," Archbishop Sandri said as the audience at the Vatican began. The deputy Secretary of State told the small crowd, "He is offering his prayers and sufferings for the world and all mankind, and those us of in St. Peter's Square will prayer with him and for him."

Archbishop Sandri later read a message from the Pope, thanking the faithful for their support, and urging them to continue in prayer. The Pope's message went on to say that the Lenten spirit of penance "helps us better to understand the value of the suffering that, in one way or another, touches all of us."

The Pope concluded his message by renewing his pledge of devotion to the Virgin Mary, repeating his papal motto: Totus tuus . In briefing reporters on February 25 about the Pope's surgical operation, papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls reported that the Pontiff had written the same phrase, Totus tuus, on a pad of paper soon after regaining consciousness.