AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
After a life-threatening battle with double pneumonia requiring weeks in the hospital, 88-year-old Pope Francis is back at the Vatican today. NPR's Ruth Sherlock reports on his first live public appearance.
(CHEERING)
RUTH SHERLOCK, BYLINE: As the Pope appeared from his balcony of Gemelli Hospital, the crowds that had gathered to see him cheered and shouted his name.
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) Papa Francesco.
(APPLAUSE)
SHERLOCK: Then a quiet fell as he spoke.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
POPE POPE FRANCIS: (Non-English language spoken).
SHERLOCK: "I see this woman with the yellow flowers," he says. "Well done." From his wheelchair, he waved weakly and gave a stiff thumbs-up. He appeared bloated and was coughing as his aides wheeled him away from the balcony. Still, it's a stunning development for the 88-year-old Pontiff after a long illness that, at times, left him in critical condition and placed him on a noninvasive mechanical ventilator. Doctors say he experienced two very critical episodes in which his life was in danger. During much of his hospital stay, the Vatican organized nightly prayers for his recovery at St. Peter's Square, and similar services were held in churches around the world.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Vocalizing).
SHERLOCK: At a mass in the Lateran Basilica, the Catholic cathedral of Rome, one month ago, many of the faithful were in tears with worry for the Pope. Now at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, some in the crowd cry for joy.
GIULIA GIANARELLI: (Non-English language spoken).
SHERLOCK: "It's emotional," says Giulia Gianarelli, who is from Rome, "to again find the hope that the Pope brings, so close, so mixed up in our lives."
Even as Pope Francis returns to the Vatican, he has a long recovery ahead of him. His doctors say he will need rest and rehabilitation for a further two months. Francis still has difficulty speaking due to the damage to his lungs and the time spent on supplemental oxygen and ventilation. But with time, his doctors say, his voice will return.
Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, Rome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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