Pope Francis, 88, made a reassuring appearance on the balcony of Rome’s Gemelli hospital on a bright Sunday morning, acknowledging the crowd of hundreds gathered below. As the Pope gave a thumbs up, chants of “Viva il papa!” and “Papa Francesco” erupted from the crowd, reflecting the joy and support of his followers.
The Pope had been hospitalized for 38 days, the longest of his 12-year papacy and the second longest in recent papal history, after being diagnosed with a complex combination of bacterial, viral, and fungal respiratory infections, which led to pneumonia in both of his lungs. His prolonged hospitalization had fueled speculation about the possibility of a papal resignation or even funeral.
Pope Francis, who has a history of chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed in his youth, was admitted to Gemelli on February 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened. Doctors have since been treating him for the severe infection.
The Pope’s recent appearance comes just before he is set to return to the Vatican for a two-month period of rest and recovery. While concerns remain about his ability to participate in upcoming Easter services, there is hope that he may be well enough to travel to Turkiye by the end of May for an important ecumenical anniversary.
His return to the Vatican also coincides with the start of the Holy Year, a once-in-a-quarter-century event expected to draw over 30 million pilgrims to Rome this year.
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