Pope Francis to make first appearance after five weeks of hospitalisation

Pope Francis is set to make his first public appearance on Sunday, five weeks after being hospitalized for double pneumonia, the Vatican said Saturday.

The 87-year-old pontiff, who had been battling flu and respiratory issues, will wave from the window of his room at Rome's Gemelli hospital.

The Pope was last seen in public on February 14, after which his health condition deteriorated.


Two of Pope Francis’ closest advisers have expressed optimism about his recovery, and said that a "new stage" in his pontificate is beginning, AP reported. Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Vatican’s chief of staff, who has visited the Pope three times at Gemelli Hospital, reported that he found Francis "in good humour, serene, and with the desire to go forward."

"The pope will recover," Peña Parra said. "The doctors say that he needs some time, but it's going well progressively."

The Vatican press office confirmed that Francis' overall condition remains stable, with slight improvements as he undergoes respiratory and physical therapy. He has been reducing his reliance on high-flow supplemental oxygen during the day and no longer requires a mechanical ventilation mask at night.