Topline
Pope Francis will be discharged from hospital Sunday after more than five weeks, during which he battled bilateral pneumonia, his doctors said, and plans to greet a crowd from his hospital window in his first public appearance since February.
Pope Francis has been hospitalized for five weeks. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP) (Photo by ANDREAS … More
AFP via Getty ImagesKey Facts
Francis’ doctors said Saturday he has made “significant improvements” over the past week, but said he must continue to rest and receive medical care for at least two months at his Vatican residence after being discharged Sunday.
The doctors said Francis received treatment for an acute respiratory tract infection and bilateral pneumonia and experienced two critical episodes, during which his life was in danger.
Francis will be discharged after he makes his first public appearance in more than a month: He will appear at his window at Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Sunday afternoon to bless the crowd, the Vatican’s official news account confirmed on X Saturday.
The Vatican’s press office previously said Friday Francis “no longer uses mechanical ventilation” and is using less high-flow oxygen through a nasal tube, adding his condition continues to be stable and he is showing improvement in his motor and respiratory functions.
Cardinal Victor Fernandez said on Friday Francis may need to “relearn to speak” after receiving oxygen therapy, and Francis’ doctors confirmed on Saturday a temporary “loss of voice” after bilateral pneumonia treatment is normal.
Why Was Pope Francis Hospitalized?
Francis was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 for a respiratory infection. The following week, the Vatican said the pope was in “critical” condition and “is not out of danger,” stating he needed high flows of oxygen to assist in breathing and had received blood transfusions. Doctors said at the time he was infected with pneumonia in both lungs, and was diagnosed with bacterial, viral and fungal infections on top of his chronic bronchitis. The Vatican said Feb. 23 Francis had experienced “mild” kidney failure and had suffered a “long asthmatic respiratory crisis” the day before. Doctors said in early March Francis had been without a fever and was off ventilation and that his condition was improving. The Vatican released the first photo of Francis since his hospitalization last week, in which he is seen praying at a hospital chapel.
Key Background
Francis, at age 88, has led the Catholic Church for 12 years and has occasionally sparked concerns over his health. He has been hospitalized multiple times, including once in July 2021 for a narrowing of his large intestine, and another hospital stay two years later for bronchitis. Francis has long suffered from chronic lung issues, as he had part of his lung removed while he was young following a pulmonary infection. Francis’ health issues have sparked speculation over whether he would resign, following the unprecedented resignation of his predecessor Benedict XVI, though Cardinal Fernandez said Friday the pope would not resign.
Further Reading
Pope Francis advisers say he’ll recover from pneumonia and a ‘new stage’ is opening for him (NBC News)
Pope Francis: a long history of health problems (Reuters)
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