The postoperative course evolves favourably. From his room, Francis spiritually united “with affection and gratitude” to the faithful from all over the world. In his message to the Nobel laureates who gathered in the Vatican, he invited them “not to get tired of shouting ‘no’ to war.” “Christian politicians should be recognized for the way in which they materialize at all levels the ideal of brotherhood.”
Vatican City () – At rest after the intestinal operation he underwent on June 7, Pope Francis was unable to look out of the window today to pray the Angelus as usual. But in his room on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic he privately recited the Marian prayer, spiritually joining “with affection and gratitude” the faithful around the world who did the same on Sunday.
The news that Francis would miss the appointment with the faithful for the Angelus today had already been announced yesterday by the Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, along with the news on the state of the Pope. “Medical staff advise that the postoperative course remains normal,” he wrote in a note. “All the drips have already been stopped in the last days and the Holy Father is fed with a semi-liquid diet. Francisco does not have a fever and the results of the blood tests and X-rays that were carried out on him are good.” “He is following a careful convalescence – Bruni explained – which aims to reduce tension in the abdominal wall, to allow the prosthetic mesh that was implanted and the repair of the muscular fascia to heal optimally.
Without ceasing to scrupulously observe the rest prescribed by the doctors, Francisco continues to transmit his message to the world. He did it yesterday afternoon at the meeting of 30 Nobel Prize winners (among them the Yazidi Nadia Murad and the Filipina Maria Ressa) who met in the parvis of Saint Peter’s Basilica together with a group of young people from all over the world for the initiative “Not Alone” on the theme of fraternity. In the speech that Francis had already prepared for the occasion and that he read from Card. Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of the Vatican Basilica, once again invited them not to get tired “of shouting ‘no to war’, in the name of God or in the name of every man and woman who aspires to peace.” “In our world – he added – it is not enough to make adjustments and adaptations: only a great spiritual and social alliance that springs from hearts and revolves around fraternity can return to the center of relationships the sacredness and inviolability of human dignity “.
And he also forcefully indicated this same horizon to Christian politicians in a message addressed to the members of the Group of the Popular Party in the European Parliament who met these days in Rome. “I believe – the Pope wrote in this text published today – that today’s Christian politicians must be recognized for their ability to translate the great dream of fraternity into concrete actions of good politics at all levels: local, national, international For example: challenges such as migration, or caring for the planet, it seems to me that they can only be addressed starting from this great inspiring principle: human brotherhood”.
