Vatican City, Jan 11, 2010 / 12:01 pm
Pope Benedict XVI dropped in to Rome's Gemelli Hospital for a visit to French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray on Saturday evening. The cardinal appeared to be in good condition after an operation to rebuild his femur following the injury he sustained at St. Peter's on Dec. 24.
Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi reported to the press on Saturday evening that the Holy Father had visited Cardinal Etchegaray at the hospital where he has been recovering from surgery.
Lombardi related that the visit "was characterized by a very cordial conversation in French between the Pope and the cardinal" in which the Holy Father "expressed his concern and his spiritual closeness."
The Pope also paid the visit to "assure himself personally of the favorable progress and post-operative rehabilitation" of the cardinal, reported Lombardi, who also included that the prelate's clinical conditions are excellent.