The spiritual leader of Catholics, Pope Francis, appeared for the first time in front of the public five weeks after being discharged from the hospital.
The 88-year-old Pope addressed Catholics praying for him from the window of Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
Waving to the gathering of people under his window and making a thumbs-up gesture, Pope Francis said, “Thank you, thank you all.”
Upon the hospital’s main entrance, a large crowd had gathered, including patients who were wheeled outside in wheelchairs to see him.
Following Pope Francis’s departure from the hospital after meeting with hospital staff, he is expected to return to the Vatican to embark on a rest and rehabilitation process expected to last at least two months.
A month before, he expressed his gratitude with his words, “Thank you very much to all of you,” with remnants of his hospital stay being a historic mark in his twelve years as the Pope, with his return to Vatican City bringing a palpable relief, following three and a half months of medical recovery and observation, for the Vatican and Catholics after leaving the Gemelli Hospital of Rome, where he received medical treatment and was discharged, his return to the Vatican signifying the end of his longest hospitalization during his papacy, encompassing two years of papal duty and a rehabilitation period that would span at least two months to aid his recovery and recovery from a severe case of pneumonia that required him to be hospitalized for weeks, which had initially sparked worries about his condition, saying he felt “very happy” upon knowing of his departure from the hospital.
His departure, coming after more than two months of often turbulent months of medical observable drawbacks ensuing from his prolonged health care, it is hoped.
His ordeal highlighted the risks and seriousness of his health struggles, a significant turning point in his papacy. Health care, emphasizing the importance of faith, giving hope and reassurance to believers as he returned home to Vatican, significant for both the institution and the Church during his papal mission. He was previously known for his enduring resilience and compassion, but his stay has raised concerns about his wellbeing, with reports recently
