Pope Francis returns to the Vatican

RomeFive weeks after being admitted to Rome's Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital, Pope Francis received a partial medical discharge this Sunday and returned to his residence at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, where he will convalesce for at least two months before resuming his activities. At noon, before leaving the hospital, the Pontiff briefly appeared on the hospital balcony to greet the hundreds of people gathered at the clinic's doors and impart his blessing before the Angelus prayer. "Thank you all," said the emotional pontiff, his voice and face visibly tired.

Before returning to Santa Marta, the Pope drove to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the church where he always goes to pray before and after a trip. It is in that same church where the then-Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, used to pray when he traveled to Rome and where the Pope intends to be buried after his death.

It's been almost 40 days since the Holy See announced in a brief statement that Pope Francis had been admitted for treatment for respiratory problems he had been suffering from for weeks. Bronchitis developed into bilateral pneumonia, accompanied by mild kidney failure. A complex clinical picture, especially for an 88-year-old man missing part of a lung.

The illness has raised fears for his life at least twice this past month. His doctors confirmed this the day before during the press conference, the second they have held since his admission on February 14, in which they announced the Pope's imminent release from the hospital. "The serious infection has resolved, but drug therapy must continue orally," explained Dr. Sergio Alfieri, accompanied by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, and Dr. Luigi Carbone, the Vatican City State doctor in charge of his day-to-day work.

To the surprise of journalists, since the summons arrived just two hours before and a new communication from the Holy See was not expected until Monday, Alfieri clarified that the Pope will continue receiving respiratory physiotherapy during his convalescence. "There are some bacteria that have been defeated and other viruses and fungi whose burden has been reduced, but it will take many months to completely defeat them," he noted. During the appearance, Alfieri explained that over the past five weeks, the Pope suffered four respiratory crises and endured "two very critical episodes in which his life was in danger." However, his doctor emphasized, the Pope "has not been intubated at any time and has always been active and cooperative."

This has been Pope Francis's most serious health crisis of his 12-year pontificate and the longest period he has been out of public view since his election in 2013. A long convalescence in which he has only been seen in a photograph distributed a week ago in which he appeared almost from behind. An image that was added to the brief audio message released on March 6 by the Holy See, in which the pontiff expressed gratitude for the prayers for his health.

With his discharge from the hospital, a new phase of Francis's pontificate begins, experts point out. It is more than likely that the Pope will have to reduce his intense schedule at the Vatican, with dozens of audiences a day, and reduce his trips around the world; the next one will be on May 26 in Türkiye. But it is still unknown whether he will be able to participate in the Holy Week celebrations or the canonization of the young Italian Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, as well as receive the King and Queen of England, Charles and Camilla, who will make a "historic" state visit to Italy between April 7 and 10. "As he improves, the appropriate decisions will be made," said Matteo Bruni, head of the Holy See press office.

What is certain is that, at least for the moment, Francis has no intention of resigning, as has been speculated for weeks, even hypothesizing a shadow conclave among the most critical cardinals. "The Pope will begin a new stage in which there will be surprises," said the Argentine prelate, Víctor Manuel Fernández, one of the closest to the pontiff, who rejected an early retirement for Bergoglio.