He faces a testing week as the Roman Catholic Church builds up to the most important date in its calendar - Easter Sunday on April 9 - with a series of ceremonies, services and processions. He was last hospitalised in 2021 for surgery on his colon, but on that occasion he was hidden from view as he left the Gemelli. The pope, who marked the 10th anniversary of his pontificate in March, has suffered a number of ailments in recent years. 'Now I need to sleep for four days,' he joked after answering the various questions. 'I went to the children's ward and saw with what tenderness they took care of the children,' he said. You need to be patient,' he said, praising the work of all the staff at the Gemelli.

'In a hospital there is a lot of heroism, lots of tenderness for patients. He also signed the plaster cast of a young boy with a broken arm and waved from the window of his car as he drove away.Īsked by reporters if he had been afraid during his hospital stay, the pope said: 'No, afraid no.' Sunday's service kicks off a week of Easter events and the Vatican subsequently said the pontiff would take part in those celebrations, supported by cardinals.īefore getting back into the car, Francis embraced a sobbing mother, whose young daughter had died overnight in the hospital, and then prayed with both the parents. Peter's Square and give his usual weekly address to the faithful. He greeted well wishers and talked briefly to waiting reporters, confirming that he would preside over the Palm Sunday service in St.

Looking to show he was fully recovered, Francis got out of his car before leaving left the hospital grounds, using a walking stick to support himself. The pope, 86, was taken to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Wednesday after complaining of breathing difficulties, but responded rapidly to an infusion of antibiotics, his medical team has said. ROME, April 1 (Reuters) - Pope Francis left hospital and returned to the Vatican on Saturday after being treated for bronchitis, making light of his illness by saying: 'I'm still alive you know'.

Free download left alive day one