Pope Francis made his first public appearance in five weeks before he was discharged on Sunday, 23 of the hospital where he survived a serious case of pneumonia that twice threatened his life. With a wheelchair, the leader of the Catholic Church made a brief greeting for the faithful during the Angelus Sunday prayer, around 8 am (Brasília time).
The faithful acclaimed the return with shouts of “Long Long the Pope” and, in a message to everyone, the Pontiff thanked the prayers for his recovery.
He gave his blessing from the 5th floor of Gemelli Hospital in Rome. He preferred to appear this place-not the 10th floor of the building, where the papal suite is-so that the hundreds of faithful who gather in the square near Gemelli can see him better. He has not presided over the Angelus prayer since February 9.
After saying goodbye to the medical center team, he will return to the Vatican to start at least two months of rest, rehabilitation and convalescence, during which doctors said he should avoid meetings in large groups or work too hard.
However, Francisco’s personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, said on Saturday that the Pope should eventually resume all his normal activities as long as he maintains the slow and constant progress he has presented so far.
His return home, after the longest hospitalization of his 12 -year -old and the longest second in recent papal history, brought tangible relief to the Vatican and the Catholic faithful who have nervously accompanied the 38 days of ups and low doctors and wondering if Francisco would recover.
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Routine now includes remedy and physical therapy
No special arrangement was made at Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican Hotel next to the São Pedro Basilica where Francisco lives in a two -bedroom suite on the second floor. Francisco will have access to supplementary oxygen and medical care 24 hours a day as needed, although Carbone has said that Francis expects to progressively need less respiratory assistance as his lungs recover.
Although pneumonia infection has been successfully treated, Francisco will continue to take oral medication for a long time to treat fungal infection on his lungs and continue his respiratory and physical physiotherapy.
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“For three or four days he has asked when he can go home. So he’s very happy,” Carbone said.
(With international agencies)
