Pope Francis made his first public appearance in over six weeks on Sunday from a balcony outside a Rome hospital where he had been treated for respiratory problems. The 85-year-old pontiff, looking frail and struggling to speak due to severe lung damage, greeted hundreds of people gathered in the square.
Francis’s brief appearance came after a long and grueling recovery, during which he was confined to his hospital bed due to pneumonia that put his life in critical danger. Despite this, he has been making progress and is now expected to spend two more months convalescing at a Vatican guesthouse.
The pope’s voice was thin and raspy, and his appearance was met with cheers and applause from the crowd. However, it was clear that Francis has undergone significant changes since his illness, including a loss of physical vitality and energy.
Francis’s doctors said that he will need to avoid unnecessary exertions and meetings with large groups or people with small children for the foreseeable future to minimize the risk of further infections. Despite this, there is hope that he will be able to return to his duties as pope in the coming months.
The Vatican has been critical of recent conflicts in various parts of the world, including Israel’s bombing on Gaza and fighting in Ukraine, Syria, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Francis called for an immediate halt to these conflicts and for dialogue to resume.
Francis’s recovery is seen as a cause for joy by many Catholics around the world, who are praying for his health and well-being. As one pilgrim from the United States said, “If he’s coming out, it means that God still has a plan for him.”
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/23/world/europe/pope-francis-rome.html