by Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) -- An international group of rabbis, an Italian school group and a newlywed couple from New Mexico all had their hopes fulfilled when Pope John Paul II, wearing purple Mass vestments, came to his hospital window.

Although the pope was not scheduled to greet people March 9 at Rome's Gemelli hospital, the insistent crowd gathered under his window was rewarded with a wave and a blessing.

The groups originally had planned to participate in the pope's weekly general audience at the Vatican, but the audiences were suspended when Pope John Paul was taken to the hospital Feb. 24 and underwent a tracheotomy to help him breathe.

Paola Balducci said the 71 children she brought from a Catholic school in Legnano, in northern Italy, had planned a four-day trip to Rome to see the sights, "but the goal was to see the pope."

So they arrived at the hospital early March 9, bearing letters, drawings, crafts and some money for the pope to give to charity.

The Legnano group had the square in front of the hospital to itself until about 10 a.m.; the children passed the time by forming a huge circle, playing tag and singing songs for the pope.

The blinds over the pope's 10th-floor windows opened at 11:55 and Pope John Paul waved and blessed the crowds. Most people, being almost directly below the window, could see only his hand.

Before the pope appeared, Priscilla, a 9-year-old student from Legnano, said if she could talk to the pope "I would tell him to get better, get out of the hospital soon and come to the window."

After the pope appeared, Priscilla claimed she saw his face.

"He was happy to see me," she said.

A delegation from the World Union of Progressive Judaism also visited the hospital March 9; when they planned their trip it had included a meeting with Pope John Paul.

"Much to our sadness and pain, we were not able to meet him," said Rabbi Uri Regev, the Israel-based executive director of the union.

The rabbis, most from the United States and England, were shown to a small room near the hospital entrance, where they prayed for the pope in Hebrew and English.

Rabbi Mark L. Winer, the group's director of interreligious relations, said they asked God to bless Pope John Paul and grant him a full recovery; to bless the pope's doctors and nurses; and to bless the pope's aides and secretaries that they would "surround him with support."

Rabbi Stanley Davids said many Jews around the world are joined with Catholics in praying for the pope's healing, but also that "through his suffering we all will see the value of life."

And just as at Wednesday general audiences at the Vatican, the gathering at Gemelli hospital included a new bride and groom wearing their wedding clothes and seeking the pope's blessing.

Darlene and Christopher Marquez of Taos, N.M., were married in January.

Darlene Marquez told reporters: "We know the pope will give us his blessing. Even if we do not see him, we want him to bless us."

The bride was glowing after the pope appeared.

"I prayed, 'Let me just see his hand so he can bless us,'" she said.