The Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital celebrated the centenary on 20 February of becoming the “Pope’s Hospital”, after in 1924 the Salviati family donated to the Holy See health center. It was built in 1869 with the support of Pius. IX.
The origin of the hospital dates back to the mid-19th century when Duchess Arabella Salviati wanted the children of Rome to receive better medical care because as was the case throughout the peninsula, minors were usually admitted to the same wards as adults. without receiving differentiated attention.
Thus, to achieve her goal, as reported by Vatican News, the duchess followed the model of the Hopital des Enfants Malades in Paris. Her husband, Duke Scipio, and her little children joined her project and gave her mother a piggy bank with her savings.
The first nucleus of the hospital was born on March 19, 1869, in a small room on Via delle Zoccolette, when four girls were welcomed and cared for by two doctors and the Sisters Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul.
Pope Pius IX expressed his pleasure at this center dedicated to the Child Jesus and wrote in a document: “May God bless this good gift, consolidate it, and improve it.”
By 1924 the services of the Bambino Gesù Hospital increased, as did the size of its structure. Therefore, to ensure its functioning, the Salviati family decided to donate it to the Church.
According to Vatican News, since 1887 the Bambino Gesù has been located on the Janiculum Hill, where the ancient convent of San Onofrio was located. By 2030 it is planned to be moved to the area of the ancient Roman hospital Forlanini.
The link between this hospital and the pontiffs has been strong since its inception, although the first official visit occurred in 1958 with Saint John XXIII.
The Bambino Gesù Hospital is currently considered “the largest pediatric polyclinic and research center in Europe and is connected to the main international centers in the sector,” says Vatican News.