The facility that refers to Pope Francis

Outside the Gemelli Hospital, there is a large statue of one of his most famous patients, Pope John Paul II.

Made of Carara’s white marble, it depicts a hinge in its shorter years, bending and squeezing the crucifix, with pain packed with pain.

Doctors at the Gemeli Hospital helped save John Paul’s life after he was shot dead in an unsuccessful attempt to kill St. Peter’s Square in May 1981. He underwent a six -hour operation to remove a bullet from his belly.

It was the first time Pope was treated at the largest hospital of Rome.

Among the current patients at the hospital is Pope Francis, who was admitted last week with a respiratory infection. It is diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.

In the course of his 25-year-old pontiff, John Paul has been accepted about 10 times, sometimes for a long stay. He received treatment of various diseases, including benign intestinal tumor, broken thigh and tracheotomy when Parkinson’s disease was in an advanced stage.

The Gamels, which is a Catholic teacher hospital, opened in the 60s. With more than 1500 beds, it is one of the largest private hospitals in Europe.

Built on a land donated by Pope Pius XI to the Theologian and Doctor Agostino Gemeli in 1934, he became known as the “Pope Hospital”. John Paul II even called it “Vatican Three”, with St. Peter Square being Vatican and the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, Vatican two.

In the 1980s, Gemelli created a special papal apartment that is still used to this day.

It’s a small apartment on the tenth floor, a completely white apartment with a strict, just furnishings. In addition to the bedroom and the bathroom, there is a living room, with a sofa bed for his assistants and a chapel with his knees and a large crucifix where the pope can attend or celebrate the liturgy and say prayers.

The long access corridor leading to the apartment is guarded by Italian State Police, Vatican Gendarmerie and Hospital Security.

The papal apartment is reserved for Pope, but other patients are treated on the same floor.

There is a balcony where the Pope may seem to congratulate the faithful and say the weekly Angelus prayer.

The well -wishers often gather on the square outside the hospital to pray for the health of Pontif. Flowers, cards, photos and candles are often laid at the foot of the statue of John Paul II.

According to official reports, Pope Benedict XVI has never been admitted to the hospital during his 8-year papacy, although he visited when his brother received treatment there in 2014.

Pope Francis has been treated in Gemelli several times. In 2013, he had colon surgery. He was treated for infectious bronchitis in March 2023 and underwent surgery for intestinal hernia later that year.

He was often observed to thank his medical team and other hospital workers. At the end of a stay, he named a newborn baby and shared a pizza dinner with his doctors, nurses, assistants and security staff of the Vatican.