Global Surge in Letters to Pope Amid Hospital Stay

Since Pope Francis's hospitalisation, the Italian postal service has seen a significant uptick in mail addressed to him, especially letters from children worldwide. The mail is sorted at Rome's Fiumicino airport and handled with care to ensure it reaches the pope at Gemelli Hospital.

The Italian postal service has experienced a noteworthy surge in mail addressed to Pope Francis following his hospital admission on February 14. Many of these letters, some authored by children, come from across the globe, bearing stamps and simple addresses like 'Gemelli Hospital' in Rome.

Postal workers play a crucial role, sorting the correspondence into large yellow boxes labeled 'Papa Francesco.' Daily, hospital staff collect these letters to deliver them to the 88-year-old pope, who is recovering from double pneumonia in a hospital suite on the 10th floor.

The initial mail processing occurs at Rome's Fiumicino airport, where safety checks are conducted before delivery. Typically, the Vatican receives around 100 kilograms of mail per day, but visitor influx during the pope's hospitalisation has led to peaks of 150 kilograms. The letters are meticulously cleared and forwarded to a distribution center in Rome for final sorting.

(With inputs from agencies.)