A surprise visit from Pope Francis for the little ones hospitalized at Bambino Gesù. It happened on Saturday 19 March 2022, shortly after 4pm, in the Gianicolo headquarters.

The Pope particularly wanted to meet the Ukrainian children hospitalized at the Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome, who arrived in the last few days after fleeing the war.

In detail, the Pope visited the second floor of the Pediatrics department (in the Giovanni Paolo II pavilion), where 41 boys and girls are hospitalized, of which 12 are Ukrainian: 6 oncology patients, 2 neurological patients and 4 patients with war wounds. Another 6 Ukrainian children who arrived since the beginning of the war are hospitalized at the Gianicolo: 3 patients with Covid-19, hospitalized in the protected hospitalization department; one in Cardiology, one in Neurosurgery and one in Neonatology. A child from Ukraine is also currently hospitalized at the Palidoro site, in the intensive area.

In total there are 19 Ukrainian patients currently hospitalized, out of a total of 50 children taken into care since the beginning of the war. The caresses of the Pope to the children, the paternal gaze towards the mothers and parents, the affection and gratitude towards the healthcare personnel distinguished the surprise visit of Pope Francis.

The Pope listened to the stories of the patients and was astonished at the suffering of these children. He smiled, caressed them, but without words, he looked at them as if he wanted to take that pain upon himself. Then he thanked the doctors, the nurses and the whole hospital for their care and welcome of these children and their families.

Published on March, 19th, 2022