Pope Francis is discharged from hospital after spending three nights hospitalized for bronchitis

He Pope Francisco He was discharged from hospital this Saturday after spending three nights in the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome due to bronchitis. The Argentine pontiff left the hospital at 10:20.

The Vatican has confirmed that Francis plans to preside over the Palm Sunday mass tomorrowwhich officially opens the rites of Holy Week -the most important of the liturgical calendar- although it will be officiated by the Argentine cardinal Leonardo Sandri.

The spokesman of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni, it already advanced yesterday that the pope would leave the hospital this Saturday. Francisco, 86 years old, was admitted last Wednesday due to an infectious-based bronchitis, for which he was given an intravenous infusion of antibiotics.

[El Papa presenta “problemas respiratorios” tras acudir al hospital por un control programado]

From the first day he was hospitalized, his health confirmed an “improvement”, as Bruni clarified at the time. Francisco has remained in an apartment for the exclusive use of the popes in the Gemelli, inaugurated in the time of John Paul II, and in these days of convalescence has read newspapers, has prayed in his chapel and even had pizza for dinner accompanied by some doctors and collaborators, reports efe.

On Friday afternoon, he visited the children of the Pediatric Oncology and Pediatric Neurosurgery unit and baptized a baby named Miguel Ángel. Before leaving the hospital, Francisco said goodbye to the rector of the Catholic University, Franco Anelli; of the General Manager of the Gemelli, Marco Elephanti; the ecclesiastical assistant of the University, monsignor Claudio Giuliodoriand the medical and nursing team who have assisted him.

[El Papa Francisco está recuperado, ya “cena pizza” y recibirá el alta hospitalaria el sábado]

This was the second time that Francisco has passed through the Gemelli. The first took place on July 4, 2021, when he underwent colon surgery and was hospitalized for ten days. Since then, the Pope has also suffered from a problem in his right knee that forces him to walk with a cane or a wheelchair and has assured on several occasions that he does not want to undergo surgery.

The moment was recorded by the Vatican cameras and served to see the pontiff for the first time since his entry, smiling among the patients and even standing (In recent times he usually uses a cane or even a wheelchair due to his knee problems).