Two popes, same hospital, different styles of medical privacy

A statue of John Paul II is pictured outside the Gemelli hospital, where Pope Francis is recovering following scheduled surgery on his colon, in Rome, Italy, July 7, 2021. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

ROME (Reuters) - When Pope John Paul II was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on July 12, 1992, he told the world himself a few hours earlier during his regular Sunday address in St. Peter's Square.

"I would like to let you in on a secret," he said before revealing that he would enter hospital that night. His departure from the Vatican, the crowds lining his motorcade route, and his arrival at the hospital's front entrance in a black Mercedes convertible were broadcast on television.