Pope Francis will give a blessing in front of crowds in Rome tomorrow as he continues to recover after being seriously unwell with double pneumonia, said the Vatican
Pope Francis will be well enough to greet crowds from his hospital window in Rome and give a blessing as he continues to recover from double pneumonia, said the Vatican.
The 88-year-old pontiff has been reducing his reliance on high-flow supplemental oxygen during the day, the Vatican said in the latest of regular medical bulletins given out this week. His pneumonia infection, while not completely eliminated, is under control as he continues in hospital, the Holy See press office said.
Francis concelebrated Mass on Wednesday, which is an important feast day for the Catholic Church and is the anniversary of his installation as pope 12 years ago.
And now in an update the Vatican has said he will appear at his window at Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Sunday. It stated: “Pope Francis intends to appear at his window tomorrow at Rome’s Gemelli hospital shortly after 12noon for a greeting and to impart his blessing. The text of Pope’s Angelus reflection will be distributed as on previous Sundays.”
Francis has been at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since February 14 for a complex lung infection that turned into pneumonia in both lungs. He has been receiving respiratory and physical therapy to help strengthen his lungs.
He is no longer needing to use the noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask, which pumps oxygen into his lungs, and doctors said its use had been “suspended.”
Francis was put on the ventilation mask after he suffered a spate of respiratory crises in late February and early March during which he was unable to expel the mucus and fluid that had accumulated in his lungs.
Suspending use of the mask means Francis’ lungs are working harder and better on their own. The Vatican is also again reducing its medical updates as Francis slowly continues his recovery, with the next one not expected before Monday.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella commemorated the 12th anniversary of Francis’ installation as pope by sending him a letter praising his initiatives as pope. Mattarella offered best wishes for the continuation of his pontificate and “all the more heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery”.
Over 12 years, Francis has sought that kind of normality for the papacy with his informal style and disdain for pomp while ensuring that he still wields the awesome power held by Christ’s vicar on Earth and Europe’s last absolute monarch.
The way Francis has managed his five-week hospitalization for pneumonia has followed that same playbook: He has allowed the public to follow the very normal ups and downs of an 88-year-old man battling a complex lung infection through spare but regular medical bulletins, while also continuing to run the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church.