Pope Francis is scheduled to be discharged from the hospital on Sunday and will return to his residence at the Vatican, according to an announcement by his doctors during a press conference on Saturday.
The 88-year-old pontiff, who has been in the hospital for 37 days, has shown stable health over the past two weeks, the Vatican confirmed.
Admitted to Rome’s Policlinico Agostino Gemelli on February 14, Pope Francis was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.
Despite the severity of his condition, he has gradually improved and is now well enough to leave the hospital.
Before departing, the pope is expected to make a public appearance from the hospital window at noon local time (7 a.m. ET) on Sunday to offer a greeting and a blessing to those gathered.
“Pope Francis intends to appear from the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli in Rome for a greeting and a blessing at the end of tomorrow’s Angelus [noontime prayer]. Papal text will be distributed in written form as in recent weeks,” the Vatican stated.
Upon returning to his Vatican residence, Pope Francis will continue his recovery over the next two months.
His rehabilitation will include ongoing physiotherapy, which he will undertake from his home.
“The pope is getting better so that in brief time he can resume his normal activities. He has always continued to work but we recommend that he takes the adequate time to rest and convalescence. So he can’t meet large groups of people,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni explained.
Bruni also noted that the pope’s voice may take some time to fully recover due to the impact of pneumonia on his lungs and muscles. “When you have a bilateral pneumonia … and your lungs have been damaged, … muscles affected … one of the first things that happens is you lose your voice and like for all patients, young and old … it will take some time for his voice to return to normal. We have already seen important improvements,” he said.
Providing an update on Friday, the Vatican stated that Pope Francis continued to make small but steady progress in his breathing and motor skills.
His reliance on mechanical ventilation at night has decreased, and he is now using high-flow oxygen therapy through nasal cannulas, with reduced oxygen support during the day.
“The Pope’s days are spent doing physiotherapy, prayer and a little work,” the Vatican shared on Saturday, emphasizing his gradual return to routine while prioritizing his health.
