Vatican City: Pope Francis is set to make his first public appearance in more than five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from the window of his room at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital as he continues to recover from double pneumonia, the Vatican announced.
The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to the hospital on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection requiring ongoing medical treatment. According to a brief statement from the Vatican on Saturday, Francis intends to appear at the hospital window around noon to give a greeting and blessing.
Traditionally, the pope leads a weekly noon-time prayer in St. Peter’s Square every Sunday. However, since February 9, he has been unable to do so due to his hospitalization. While Francis is not expected to deliver the full prayer this Sunday, his appearance at the window signals gradual recovery.
Francis has a history of lung-related health issues, having had part of one lung removed due to pleurisy as a young adult. His current hospitalization marks the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy and the longest period he has been out of public view since his election in 2013.
Recent Vatican health bulletins have been cautiously optimistic. On Friday, the Vatican reported that Francis had reduced his reliance on high-flow oxygen therapy. However, Cardinal Victor Fernandez, the Vatican’s chief doctrine official, noted that the pope may need time to fully regain his voice after using oxygen throughout his hospital stay.
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“The pope is doing very well, but high-flow oxygen dries everything out,” Fernandez said. “He needs to relearn how to speak, but his overall physical condition is as it was before.”
The Vatican has not provided a definitive timeline for Francis’ discharge from the hospital. However, a scheduled meeting with Britain’s King Charles on April 8 has raised speculation that the pontiff could return to his Vatican residence before then.
