Pope Francis is steadily recovering at the Vatican guesthouse, where he has made notable strides in his health, according to Vatican reports released this week. After a challenging 38-day hospitalization at Policlinico A. Gemelli in Rome for pneumonia and subsequent infections, the pontiff returned to his residence on March 23. Medical concerns during his stay included severe respiratory issues that at one point led doctors to believe he might not survive, yet he has shown remarkable resilience.
Latest updates indicate that routine blood tests are normal, and X-rays demonstrate "slight improvement" in his lungs. Although he continues to rely on supplemental oxygen throughout the day, he is now able to occasionally go without it. Both motor and respiratory therapies are yielding positive results, resulting in enhanced speech and mobility for the 88-year-old leader.
Since his hospital discharge, the Pope has refrained from public appearances, apart from a brief greeting to supporters from a balcony shortly after leaving the hospital, revealing the toll his health crisis has taken. His voice remained weak at the time, and his mobility appeared limited.
Doctors have advised Francis to prioritize rest and recovery, recommending a minimum rehabilitation period of two months. Thus far, he has followed this guidance, limiting his engagements. Currently, he celebrates morning Mass with fellow priests and dedicates part of his day to desk work, though he hasn't received visitors since returning.
During the past week, Pope Francis also conducted significant ecclesiastical work, including approving the canonization of the first female saint from Venezuela and the first saint from Papua New Guinea, a country he visited last September. Additionally, he has expressed his sympathies for those affected by a recent powerful earthquake in Southeast Asia.
In his recent Angelus prayer, delivered through a written message instead of his usual public address, Francis invited the faithful to view the Lenten period leading to Easter as one of healing. “I too am experiencing it this way, in my soul and in my body,” he conveyed in a message to the public, illustrating his personal journey of recovery and introspection.
