Pope Francis was today expected to leave the Rome hospital where he was admitted this week and to take part in this weekend’s Palm Sunday service in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced.
he Pope is one of the oldest heads of the Catholic Church in history, and his sudden hospitalisation before Easter week celebrations drew widespread concern and speculation about his health.
The 86-year-old pontiff was taken to Rome’s biggest hospital, Gemelli, suffering from bronchitis on Wednesday.
The Vatican spokesman said he responded well to antibiotics, enjoyed pizza on Thursday night with the staff and was working from his private rooms at the hospital.
“I can confirm that, since he is scheduled to leave the hospital tomorrow, Pope Francis is expected to be present in St Peter’s Square on Sunday for the Eucharistic celebration of Palm Sunday, the Passion of the Lord,” Matteo Bruni said in a statement yesterday.
“In the morning today, after having breakfast, he read some newspapers and resumed his work,” he said.
“The return to Santa Marta of His Holiness is expected tomorrow, awaiting the outcome of this morning’s most recent tests.”
Santa Marta is the Vatican City guesthouse where the pope lives.
The Vatican initially said Francis was at the hospital for a previously scheduled health check up. But a later statement clarified he was having breathing difficulties.
While at the hospital, the Pope visited the paediatric oncology ward to hand out chocolate eggs and rosaries.
Photographs showed him blessing a baby after baptising him.
This is a hugely busy time of year for Francis, who traditionally presides over many Holy Week and Easter observances, including a candlelit procession on Good Friday at the Colosseum in central Rome.
The Pope, who had part of a lung removed when he was a young man, has suffered a number of health issues in recent years.
In 2021, he had an operation to remove part of his colon. Chronic knee pain has prompted the use of a wheelchair and a walking stick.
“When experienced with faith, the trials and difficulties of life serve to purify our hearts, making them humbler and thus more and more open to God,” the Pope’s Twitter account said yesterday.
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