Pope Francis has been discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital after spending 38 days receiving medical care.
The 88-year-old pontiff, who was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs in February, left the hospital on Sunday, waving to well-wishers as he was wheeled out.
In a statement on X, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis would make his first public appearance to “greet and bless the faithful.”
Following his hospitalization, Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, a former head of the Vatican’s cultural affairs department, suggested that the Pope might consider stepping down if his health worsens.
“I believe he could do it because he has always been firm in his decisions,” Ravasi stated.
“Although he has continued to travel under challenging conditions if he ever reaches a point where he struggles to engage with people directly—something he values deeply—he might contemplate resignation.”
During his 12-year tenure as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has been hospitalized multiple times, including a three-night stay in March 2023 due to bronchitis.