The Pope leaves the hospital: "I'm still alive"

ROMA, 1 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Pope left the Roma Gemelli hospital by car this morning after four days admitted for bronchitis. Getting out of the vehicle he greeted a group of faithful who were waiting for him and before them he exclaimed: "I'm still alive."

In addition, as reported by the director of the Vatican press office, Matteo Bruni, he has hugged a couple of parents who lost their daughter the night before and has stopped to pray with them.

"This morning, Saturday April 1, Pope Francis has been discharged from the A. Gemelli University Hospital. Before leaving the center, the Holy Father greeted the rector of the Catholic University, Franco Anelli, with his collaborators closest, the general director of the Polyclinic, Marco Elefanti, the General Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Catholic University, Monsignor Claudio Giuliodori, and the team of doctors and health workers who have assisted him during these days," the Vatican reported.

The Pope is expected to preside over the Holy Week liturgical appointments after leaving the Gemelli hospital in Rome, where he was admitted this Wednesday for bronchitis. As reported in statements to the newspaper 'Corriere della Sera', Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, the Pope "will be able to preside over all the rites of Holy Week," Re said. Also the director of the Press Office of the Vatican, Matteo Bruni, had previously specified that the medical team was going to discharge him surely tomorrow Saturday.

In practice, the expression "to preside over" the rites indicates the presence of the Pope at the masses scheduled for Holy Week, although it will be other cardinals who will celebrate them, as occurred at the funeral of Benedict XVI, when Cardinal Re himself he directed the funeral mass in the presence of the Pontiff, who limited himself to reading the homily.

In any case, it will be a different Holy Week in the Vatican. It is expected that in principle it will be the Argentine cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, who celebrates the mass on Palm Sunday.

The Mass on Holy Thursday will be celebrated by the Archbishop Vicar of the Pope for the City of Rome, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, together with all the priests of the Diocese of Rome, while at the Mass for the Lord's Supper, in the afternoon That same day, with the washing of the feet, it will be celebrated by the archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, Franciscan Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, according to 'Il Corriere della Sera'.

Whether or not he reads his Easter message 'Urbi et Orbi', one of the most important messages of the year, will depend on the total recovery of the Pope.