Pope Francis was discharged from the Gemelli Hospital on Sunday, March 23, where he had been staying since February 14 and was being treated for bilateral pneumonia. Before leaving the walls of the medical institution, the pontiff, sitting in a wheelchair, thanked everyone from the balcony of the clinic who was worried and prayed for him. It was the first public appearance of Francis in the last 38 days since his hospitalization. The decision to discharge him was made due to the steady improvement in his clinical condition, but he will continue the course of treatment at the St. Martha’s House, where he lives. The head of the Catholic Church has a long rehabilitation ahead. The Pope will have to restore not only his strength, but also his voice, which was lost due to prolonged oxygen therapy. The doctors also recommended that in the next two months he reduce the number of meetings and audiences as much as possible and rest more. At the same time, the Vatican rejects the possibility of Francis’ abdication and assures that “the pontiff feels physically well.”
