VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis personally thanked the health care workers and medical staff who cared for him in Rome's Gemelli hospital for 38 days while he recovered from respiratory infections.
"Thank you, thank you above all for what you did," the pope told leaders and staff from Gemelli hospital, the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart -- which oversees the facility -- and the Vatican's health department.
The 20-minute meeting took place April 16 in a room behind the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall and included about 70 people, the Vatican press office said.
"Thank you," the pope said, gesturing toward Elena Beccalli, rector of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. "When women are in charge, things go (forward)," he joked with a smile.
Daniele Franco, president of the board of directors of the Gemelli Foundation, opened the meeting with greetings, Easter wishes and words of support for the pope's ongoing recovery.
In response, Pope Francis told the group, "I pray for you; please, do so for me, thank you. And thank you for your service in the hospital, very good, keep it up."
Pope Francis is more than three weeks into a two-month convalescence prescribed by his doctors during which they recommended he not meet with big groups to avoid being exposed to infections.
The meeting with the medical staff was the pope's first public meeting since he was discharged from the hospital. An edited video of the meeting released by the Vatican did not show the pope individually greeting or shaking hands with attendees.
