 "Pope Francis gestures during his first public appearance in five weeks at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, Italy. Source: Reuters")
Five weeks after Pope Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital with a severe respiratory infection, he was discharged on Sunday (March 23) as he made his long-awaited public appearance and greeted well-wishers. The 88-year-old Pope had been battling one of his most severe health crises in his 12-year of papacy since February 14. On Sunday, he appeared in the hospital’s balcony and waved at people.
However, the Pope’s doctors have warned that he will take “a lot of time” to recover due to his ageing body. According to media reports, he has been advised by doctors to take two months of rest before he resumes his responsibilities as the pontiff.
In a heart-warming gesture towards his well-wishers, the Pope addressed the crowd gathered outside the hospital even as he struggled to speak and looked frail.
Speaking in a feeble voice, the Pope also acknowledged an elderly woman standing below holding flowers in hands.
CNN reported that the Pope also gave a blessing during his first public appearance in over five weeks but seemed to be having a problem raising his hand.
Following his appearance in the hospital’s balcony, the Pope was then taken in a car, escorted by police vehicles.
One of the doctors was quoted by BBC as saying that patients having suffered double pneumonia tend to lose their voice briefly, especially elderly patients. “It will take time for your voice to return to normal,” the doctor said.
As he was being discharged, the Vatican released the pope’s Angelus prayer, urging an “immediate” end to Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and calling for renewed dialogue to secure the release of captives and a “definitive ceasefire.”
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More Shorts“I am saddened by the resumption of the intense Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, with so many deaths and injuries,” Francis wrote.
“I ask that the weapons be silenced immediately and that the courage be found to resume dialogue so that all the hostages can be freed and a definitive ceasefire reached,” said Francis, who was set to return to the Vatican on Sunday.
“The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is once again very serious and requires the urgent commitment of the conflicting parties and the international community,” he added.