Four days are passing in the hospital. Sunday is coming. The Pope is eager to go out to the faithful with the blessing during Angelus prayer. He walks up to the window and blesses. He catches the air and tries to speak. Only parts of words are reaching the crowds under the windows of the Gemelli clinic. The Archbishop mentions that John Paul II was pale; he had a slightly swollen face. He was suffering. Acute laryngitis had to hurt. It was hurting him with a double force as he couldn’t even say “Thank you.”
– On February 10th the Pope returns to the Vatican…
– He returned at his own request. His condition was improving. But, we no longer organized private audiences, we limited meetings. On Sunday, February 13th, the Holy Father walked up to the window and greeted the faithful. But the prayer was led by Archbishop Sandri. The Holy Father could not speak without pain. He could hardly speak at all.
– But a week later it was much better…..
– Yes, it was, you can say, a good week. The Holy Father was resting, taking medication and getting back to normal. This time he himself led the prayer “Angelus”. He was kind of stronger, rested. We were happy that the crisis was behind us. The Holy Father really felt better.
– And how was it every day?
– It depends. Once better, once worse, but it was getting better. That’s what I thought. That’s what we thought. The Holy Father celebrated his morning Mass seating because he could not stand for long time. At home we were using wheelchair.
With the permission of Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki –“He liked Tuesdays the most”
M Publishing House, Krakow 2008
