BREAKING Pope Francis' 1st Hospital Appearance Giving a Thumbs Up to the Crowd before Returning to the Vatican - VIDEO

Vatican News released that Pope Francis appeared for the first time since his hospitalization from the balcony of Rome's Gemelli Hospital. This was just before leaving the hospital where he had been since February 14. The pope greeted, blessed, and gave thumbs up to the nearly 3,000 people gathered in the hospital square who were applauding and saying his name.
Pope Francis said “thank you to everyone!”

He lifted his hands to bless the crowds, followed by waving and smiling to those below, chanting, "Francesco, Francesco!", "We love you!", "We're here for you!"

“Thank you to everyone!” the Pope said with a faint voice. The pope's gaze moved from one side of the square to the other. He noticed in particular a lady, Carmela Mancuso, from Calabria, in the front row, holding a bouquet of yellow flowers. The Pope said he could see her with the yellow flowers and he waved to her.

The Pope left in his usual white Fiat 500L. More greetings and cheers accompanied his drive leaving. He headed to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray before the icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani and to thank her for her care and protection.

Before appearing on the hospital balcony, Pope Francis briefly greeted the staff and leaders of the Catholic University and the Policlinico Gemelli: the rector of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Professor Elena Beccalli; the president of the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital Foundation, Dr. Daniele Franco; also, the dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the Catholic University, Professor Antonio Gasbarrini; the vice president of the Foundation, Giuseppe Fioroni; the general director, Marco Elefanti; the general ecclesiastical assistant of the University, Monsignor Claudio Giuliodori; and Professor Sergio Alfieri, director of the Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences at the Policlinico and head of the medical team at Gemelli; and the medical director of the Gemelli Foundation, Andrea Cambieri.
Source: Vatican News