Pope Speaks at Resort in First Appearance Since Leaving Hospital

Pope John Paul II, in his first public appearance since leaving the hospital where surgeons removed a benign tumor from his colon, addressed a crowd at this lakeside resort Sunday.

The Pope came to the apostolic palace in this hill town for his convalescence after leaving a Rome hospital last Tuesday following a 16-day stay. Doctors removed a tumor, described as benign, during surgery on July 15.

“I have the joy of meeting you for the first time, after my stay at Gemelli (Hospital), during which I felt the solidarity and spiritual closeness of so many people. For this I thank the Lord. I thank everybody,” the Pope said.

Then with a smile, he departed from his written text to quip, in reference to his speech: “So far the first test has gone pretty well.”

In a brief appearance July 26 from a hospital window, the Pope seemed frail and obviously had lost weight.

But when he came out Sunday on the balcony overlooking a small courtyard to greet pilgrims and tourists, the 72-year-old pontiff appeared less gaunt and his voice was stronger than in recorded messages he made in the first days after the surgery.

John Paul’s doctors have said full recovery could take about two months.