Pope Francis made his first public appearance at the Vatican on Sunday since returning home from hospital. This marked the first time the 88-year-old pontiff had been seen in public since his discharge two weeks ago.
The Pope, seated in a wheelchair, appeared in good spirits as he greeted people at the Vatican. He was seen wearing what appeared to be a nasal cannula to support his breathing.
Pope Francis had been hospitalised for five weeks in February and March due to pneumonia, a condition that his doctors later revealed had brought him dangerously close to death. The illness began as a severe respiratory infection and developed into a polymicrobial infection affecting both lungs.
His appearance on Sunday suggested an improvement in his condition. While his voice remained weak, it was notably stronger than during his last public sighting shortly before being discharged from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
At that time, he had struggled to speak and raise his arms, although he had managed to wave and offer a thumbs up from a balcony.
This latest appearance showed a slight return of strength, with the Pope reportedly moving his arms more freely.
On 14 February, the pontiff was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a serious lung infection. He was discharged on 23 March and returned to Casa Santa Marta, his residence in the Vatican, to recuperate.
At the time of his discharge, his medical team stated during a press briefing that he would require at least two months of rest to allow his body to fully recover.
His doctors further revealed that during his 38-day hospital stay, “two very critical episodes in which the pope’s life was in danger” had occurred.
It was the longest hospitalisation of Pope Francis’ papacy, which began in 2013.
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