It may have even been called Vatican III by John Paul II, but Pope Francis is in a hurry to get out of Gemelli. And he doesn’t let on. Barring last-minute surprises, today he will be discharged from the Roman polyclinic where he was hospitalized on Wednesday afternoon for a respiratory infection. The clinical picture is in full resolution to the point that tomorrow Bergoglio will preside over Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square. The Pope, who even enjoyed a pizza in the hospital with some of his collaborators, intends to celebrate the rites of the Easter Triduum, starting with the Missa in Coena Domini on Holy Thursday which includes the traditional washing of the feet. According to rumors, Francis should keep her in the juvenile penitentiary of Casal del Marmo, where he went by surprise already for Easter 2013, fresh from elections to the Petrine throne. Even if he will preside over Easter liturgies in the basilica or in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope will in any case be flanked by a cardinal who will officiate the rites at the altar, as has already been the case for many months, ever since the worsening pain in his right knee prevents him from move easily and stand for a long time. In the meantime, yesterday Bergoglio made his human closeness felt to the young patients of the Gemini Pediatric Oncology and their families. Here he distributed chocolate eggs and baptized a few weeks old baby.
gp
