Pope asks faithful for prayers; waves from hospital window in surprise appearance
February 27, 2005
VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II made a surprise appearance from a hospital window Sunday, waving to the faithful just after a top Vatican official on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica read a statement from the pontiff asking for prayers.
The 84-year-old pope was wheeled to a hospital window and blessed the crowd by making the sign of the cross in clear gestures as a Vatican photographer snapped pictures. John Paul, recovering from a throat operation to ease a breathing crisis, touched his throat during the minute-long appearance but seemed to be in decent form.
The pope, wearing his white vestments, sat behind a closed window that shielded him from the cold. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican's No. 2 official, stood behind John Paul in his 10th-floor suite at Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic hospital.
John Paul's appearance astonished many of the roughly 200 people who had gathered under his window to pray for him and show their support.
"Suddenly, I saw a flash and then his hand that was making a blessing," said Elena Marzullo, of Rome.
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