Pope Francis to be discharged from hospital on Sunday

Pope Francis, who has been battling pneumonia for more than five weeks, will be discharged from hospital tomorrow, but will need a further two months of rest at the Vatican, the head of his medical team has said.

Pope Francis, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on 14 February with a severe respiratory infection that became the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy.

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While Pope Francis will return to the Vatican tomorrow, his doctors said it would take “a lot of time” for his aging body to fully heal.

They said they had prescribed the Pope two months of repose and had advised him against taking any meetings with large groups, or that take special effort.

“The recommendation for a period of convalescence of at least two months is very important,” Sergio Alfieri, head of the pope’s medical team, told the press conference.

The Vatican said earlier that Pope Francis also planned to make his first appearance in more than five weeks tomorrow, offering a blessing from the window of his room at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he has been battling double pneumonia.

The Pope has been seen by the public only once during his hospital stay, in a photo the Vatican released last week, showing the pontiff at prayer in a hospital chapel.

Pope Francis wants to come to the hospital window around noon to give a greeting and blessing, the Vatican said in its brief statement earlier this morning.

The Pope usually offers a weekly noon-time prayer in St. Peter’s Square on Sundays. Francis has not been able to do this since February 9, before going to hospital.

Yesterday, the head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office said the Pope is slowly regaining his strength in hospital but must “relearn to speak” after prolonged use of high-flow oxygen therapy.

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez dismissed speculation that the pontiff would retire and said he was returning to his old self.