Vatican City: Pope Francis left Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Sunday after spending five weeks receiving treatment for pneumonia. Making his first public appearance since mid-February, he waved to well-wishers from a hospital balcony just moments before discharge.
The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection, marking the most serious health challenge of his 12-year papacy. His departure from the hospital shortly after noon saw him escorted by a convoy of police vehicles toward the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a church he frequently visits out of devotion.
Doctors have advised the pope to rest for at least two more months, acknowledging that full recovery will take time. Despite his discharge, he remains physically frail.
During his hospital stay, the pope had been seen publicly only once in a Vatican-released photo showing him praying in a chapel. While he had been receiving oxygen to aid his breathing, he appeared without assistance on Sunday, though he was later seen using a nasal oxygen tube inside his car.
Traditionally, the pope delivers a Sunday noon prayer from St. Peter’s Square, a routine he has been unable to maintain since February 9. Although he did not offer the prayer in person, the Vatican released a message he had prepared.
“In this long period of hospitalization, I have had the opportunity to experience the patience of the Lord, reflected in the tireless care of doctors and healthcare workers, as well as in the devotion and hopes of the families of the sick,” the text read.
