Pope Francis appeared publicly for the first time in more than five weeks on Sunday, offering a brief wave from a balcony at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital before leaving the facility.
The 88-year-old pontiff, who was admitted on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection—the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy—made a short appearance shortly after noon. Using a wheelchair as he has for several years, Francis smiled and waved at hundreds of well-wishers gathered below, chanting his name. His face, noticeably swollen, was visible only for a few moments as he spoke with a feeble voice to thank a crowd member who had brought yellow flowers.
Though his doctors warned on Saturday that his aging body still needs "a lot of time" to fully recover, they also prescribed an additional two months of rest at the Vatican following his discharge. Prior to this appearance, the pope had been seen by the public only once during his hospital stay, when the Vatican released a photo last week of him at prayer in a hospital chapel.
The brief public outing, marked by warm cheers from well-wishers, comes as the pontiff prepares for his anticipated departure from the hospital later in the afternoon, signaling a cautious step toward recovery amid ongoing health concerns.
After spending 38 days in hospital battling double pneumonia, Pope Francis made his first public appearance on Sunday since February 14 and returned to the Vatican.
Pope Francis has welcomed the progress in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He described the steps taken toward peace in the South Caucasus as a "sign of hope" and emphasized that this process could serve as an example for resolving other conflicts.
Pope Francis will be discharged from the hospital on Sunday after 38 days of treatment for life-threatening pneumonia. Doctors report steady recovery, though he will require two months of rest and rehabilitation.
Pope Francis will make his first public appearance in five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from his hospital window as he recovers from double pneumonia.
The Vatican has released the first image of Pope Francis in hospital since he was admitted for double pneumonia, showing the 88-year-old pontiff seated in a chapel at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
Indonesia will officially become a member of the New Development Bank (NDB), a multilateral financial institution established by BRICS nations, President Prabowo Subianto announced on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia hosted the presentation of the Armenian translation of the book by Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, titled "The Power of Negotiations: Principles and Rules of Political and Diplomatic Negotiations."
Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan stated on Tuesday that there are no expected changes in Armenia’s relations with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), despite ongoing discussions regarding the country’s stance on the military alliance.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a delegation led by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who is in Yerevan on an official visit.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, speaking at a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, highlighted the significance of the existing economic cooperation between the two countries.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Thursday that purchasing U.S. weapons does not pose a security risk for his country, but emphasized the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on American defense systems. His comments come amid growing discussions within Europe.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, the Kremlin said following a lengthy phone discussion between the leaders.
Mexican forces have dismantled a massive meth lab in Zacatecas, dealing a blow to a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
Serbia’s parliament has officially accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, setting a 30-day deadline for the formation of a new government or the calling of snap elections.
OpenAI has unveiled significant updates to its Advanced Voice Mode feature for ChatGPT, making its AI voice assistant more personable and responsive to user needs.
Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, criticized the United States for placing "unacceptable pressure" on Greenland, ahead of a high-profile U.S. delegation’s visit to the semi-autonomous Danish territory this week.
ope Francis' health was so precarious during his recent 38-day hospital stay that his doctors considered halting treatment at one point, allowing him to pass away peacefully, according to the head of his medical team.
As famine continues to ravage parts of Sudan, humanitarian workers report that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), engaged in an ongoing conflict with the Sudanese army, are tightening their grip on relief supplies.
In an effort to rejuvenate peace talks surrounding the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, Southern and Eastern African countries have expanded their team of former heads of state overseeing the mediation process.
Indonesia will officially become a member of the New Development Bank (NDB), a multilateral financial institution established by BRICS nations, President Prabowo Subianto announced on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia hosted the presentation of the Armenian translation of the book by Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, titled "The Power of Negotiations: Principles and Rules of Political and Diplomatic Negotiations."
Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan stated on Tuesday that there are no expected changes in Armenia’s relations with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), despite ongoing discussions regarding the country’s stance on the military alliance.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a delegation led by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who is in Yerevan on an official visit.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, speaking at a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, highlighted the significance of the existing economic cooperation between the two countries.
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