Nun in Italy to keep newborn baby 'Francis'
'Wasn't aware of pregnancy'
17 January, 18:17
(ANSA) - Rieti, January 17 - A 32-year-old nun gave birth
late Tuesday to a baby boy at the S. Camillo De Lellis hospital
in Rieti, central Italy on Friday.
The sister, originally from El Salvador, was taken to the
emergency ward of the hospital after strong pain she felt in her
belly raised concern among her fellow nuns, who called an
ambulance, according to unnamed sources.
The baby weighed three and a half kilograms.The nun told hospital staff she was not aware of being pregnant, thinking that the pain she was in was just a severe belly-ache. She had in fact for many years been interning as a nun in the Campomoro convent, where the Piccole Discepole di Gesù (Small Disciples of Christ) manage an old people's home. She plans to keep the baby, according to other mothers in the maternity ward that coordinated donations to buy the child clothes. The hospital staff, who are still not available to give official confirmation of the event, sought to protect the nun's privacy by keeping her away from other patients. Even so, news of the unique birth spread quickly on social networking sites.
The mother reportedly named the boy Francesco (Francis).
