CNS STORY: Pope leaves Gemelli after 10 days; aides say he'll ease into schedule

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POPE-RELEASE (UPDATED) Feb-10-2005 (560 words) With photos. xxxi

Pope leaves Gemelli after 10 days; aides say he'll ease into schedule

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II left the hospital after 10 days of treatment for respiratory problems, and aides said he planned to ease back into his schedule of daily activities.

Applauded by patients and staff as he departed Gemelli Hospital, the 84-year-old pope rode back to the Vatican in his popemobile. Accompanied by two aides, he waved occasionally to well-wishers, some of whom had waited hours for a glimpse of the pontiff.

Crowds gathered at each of the Vatican's gates and in St. Peter's Square to greet the pope on his return.

A Vatican statement earlier in the day said the pope's throat inflammation had been "cured" and that tests had ruled out other complications.

After re-entering the Vatican, the pope was expected to consult with his personal doctor before setting his agenda of events for coming days, said Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. The spokesman did not say whether the pope would make his usual appearance for the Sunday Angelus Feb. 13.

Navarro-Valls told Vatican Radio that he presumed the pope was impatient to resume his regular calendar of meetings, speeches and liturgies, but he added that the pope was also "obedient to the doctors."

Before leaving the hospital, the pope prepared a letter of thanks to his entire medical team, including doctors, nurses, technicians and others, Navarro-Valls said.

Catholic News Service obtained a copy of the letter, dated Feb. 10 and addressed to Lorenzo Ornaghi, rector of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, which runs Gemelli Hospital.

“At the vigil of the 13th celebration of the World Day of the Sick, I invoke, with trust, the heavenly protection of the Blessed Virgin of Lourdes on you, your collaborators, the entire university and the patients at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic. And in a special way on the babies, that I feel in these days I am particularly close (to),” the letter said.

Pope John Paul was rushed to the hospital Feb. 1 with serious breathing problems caused by an "acute laryngeal tracheitis," or swelling in the throat, and "laryngeal spasms," which cut off the air supply. The pope had come down with the flu two days earlier.

In his Feb. 10 statement, Navarro-Valls said the throat swelling had healed and that the pope's general condition had continued to improve. He said the pope had undergone a CT-scan and other tests to rule out other pathologies. The pope's fever disappeared earlier in the week.

On Feb. 9, the pope invited all of his doctors to an Ash Wednesday Mass in his hospital room and personally distributed ashes to them, the Vatican newspaper said. The newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, said the Feb. 9 liturgy underscored the pope's "spiritual vigor."

Placing ashes on the foreheads of the small group in his room, the pope pronounced the Lenten reminder: "You are dust and to dust you shall return." The pope received ashes from one of the concelebrants.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, papal vicar of Rome, visited the pope later the same day and told reporters, "I found him doing really well." He said the two had discussed the beginning of Lent in the Diocese of Rome.

The cardinal encouraged people to have "full trust" in the pope's recovery.

The pope felt well enough to deliver a brief blessing to the faithful Feb. 6, looking alert but speaking in a weak and hoarse voice.

The pope's hospitalization prompted renewed speculation over papal resignation. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, told reporters Feb. 7 that eventual resignation was a decision that must be left to the "conscience" of the pope.

The cardinal added that he hoped the pope would continue in the papacy for several more years.

- - -

Contributing to this story was Sofia Celeste at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

END

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