Pope Francis discharged from hospital, makes first public appearance in 5 weeks

Pope Francis, 88, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 after he was diagnosed with a severe respiratory infection.

By: Express Web Desk

March 23, 2025 06:12 PM IST

3 min read

Pope Francis gestures as he appears at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where he has been treated for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

In a major health update from Rome, Pope Francis was discharged by Gemelli Hospital on Sunday following an over five week stay and he made his first public appearance since February 14 and waved to his well-wishers from the hospital’s balcony after being treated for pneumonia.

Pope Francis, 88, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 after he was diagnosed with a severe respiratory infection which became one his most severe health crisis in his 12-year of papacy.

According to the Pope’s doctor, he would still take “a lot of time” to recover due to his aging body and added that the team of doctors have prescribed the pontiff a further two months of rest at the Vatican.

Pope Francis waves as he appears at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where he has been treated for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. (Francesco Sforza/Vatican press office via AP)

During his first appearance in more than five weeks, Pope Francis looked frail and struggled to speak. He addressed the crowd outside the hospital and thanked them for their prayers, while acknowledging one woman in the crowd who was holding flowers.

According to a CNN report, the Pope also gave blessings during first appearance since February 14 but he seemed to be in some difficulty while raising his arms.

Pope Francis leaves on a car after appearing at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where he has been treated for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Stefano Costantino)

Shortly after Pope’s appearance in the balcony, a car carrying him left the hospital on Sunday and was accompanied by a convoy of police vehicles across Rome.

Also Read | Vatican releases first photo of Pope Francis in hospital

Ahead of the pontiff’s appearance on Sunday, the hundreds of crowd which had gathered outside the hospital in Rome chanted “Francis, Francis, Francis”.

Story continues below this ad

One of the doctors treating Pope, Dr Sergio Alfieri, said that since the pontiff was diagnosed with double pneumonia, some of the patients tend to lose their voice a little, “especially in the elderly, it will take time for your voice to return to normal,” BBC reported.

From the homepage