Pope Francis has been discharged from the hospital after 38 days.
The Pope waved to the crowd as he was brought out of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Sunday.
In a post on X, the Vatican stated that the Pope would “greet and bless the faithful” at his first public encounter.
The 88-year-old Pope was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs in February.
Following his hospitalisation, Gianfranco Ravasi, an Italian cardinal and former head of the Vatican’s Department of Cultural Affairs, stated that the Pope may contemplate retiring if his health deteriorates.
“I think he could do it because he is a person who is quite decisive in his choices,” Ravasi said.
“He has always had the tendency to fight and react, and that is a legitimate choice too, because he has been able to handle trips in very difficult and challenging conditions, like the one in the Far East.
“However, there is no question that if he found himself in a situation where he was compromised in his ability to have direct contact — as he loves to do — to be able to communicate in an immediate, incisive, and decisive way, then I believe he might consider resigning.”
Pope Francis has been hospitalised multiple times over his 12 years as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, most recently in March 2023 for three nights due to bronchitis.
