A statue made of white marble of Carrara of Pope John Paul II can be seen at the entrance of the Policlinico universitario Agostino Gemelli, in Rome. Called "Non Abbiate Paura", it was sculpted by Stefano Pierotti (30 June 2009).
John Paul II was the first Pope, in the history of the Vatican, to be hospitalized in a hospital. On 13th of May 1981 Pope Giovanni Paolo II was shot to the abdomen during an assasination attempt in San Pietro Square and hospitalized at the Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli. Meanwhile being hospitalized, on the 17th of may, he spoke the "Angelus" from his room. During his speach, he talked about his assailant: « Ho parlato con lui come si parla con un fratello, al quale ho perdonato e che gode della mia fiducia. Quello che ci siamo detti è un segreto tra me e lui. » ("I spoke to him like you speak with a brother, to who I forgive and give him my trust. What we talked about is a secret between me and him.")
From 1981 to 1996, he was hospitalized 6 more times, during which, in 1996, while celebrating another "Angelus", he defined Policlinico Gemelli as "Vaticano III".
His last stay was from february the 1st to the 10th of 2005, before dying on the 2nd of april.
- Photos by Claudia Rollo ti.orebil|ollor_aidualc#| (January 2012)
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