The leader of the Catholic Church scrubbed in and visited babies at a maternity ward in Rome, Italy last Friday, Sept. 16. Most of these babies were born premature or had different serious medical conditions while some have been slowly been progressing.
The pope carried at least 12 babies in his arms and talked with their parents at the San Giovanni Hospital. Yahoo reports that Pope Francis' visit was unexpected.
"The Pope, who was greeted with astonishment by the staff, put on a face mask and underwent all the necessary hygiene precautions for the aseptic environment," said the Vatican in the official statement, per Yahoo.
The pope then checked the babies who were in the incubators. According to Radio Vatican, five of the 12 infants have complicated conditions. Pope Francis supposedly offered comfort to their parents.
After his visit to the maternity ward, the pope then went to a hospice facility, which has been caring for terminally ill patients. The staff and patients at Villa Speranza were also not aware that the pope would be dropping by.
Pope Francis' has been doing this surprise visits as part of the Holy Year of Mercy observance of the Catholic Church. The pontiff wanted to send a message regarding "the importance of life from its first moment until its natural end," the official Vatican statement highlighted.
According to the Daily Mail, the pope plans to spend one Friday of each month in the Holy Year of Mercy to visit hospitals and other care facilities. The move comes just a few weeks after the Vatican canonized Mother Teresa, whom the pope believes to be the epitome of mercy and service.
"Mother Teresa, in all aspects of her life, was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through her welcome and defense of human life, those unborn and those abandoned and discarded," Pope Francis said in the homily celebrating Mother Teresa's sainthood, per CNN.
Meanwhile, watch the video below to see Pope Francis with the babies at the maternity ward in San Giovanni Hospital. For more news and updates, check out Parent Herald.
