 At 4 p.m. PDT on May 22 , the European Space Agency and Italian Space Agency arranged for a call to Endeavour by Pope Benedict XVI . During his call — prompted by the discovery of a gash in the Shuttle 's fuselage — the Pope extended his blessing to Kelly 's wife , Gabrielle Giffords , who had undergone skull surgery earlier in the week . The event marked the first time a Pope spoke to astronauts during the course of a mission . 
