Pope Francis arrives home to the Vatican after five-week hospital stay
The Pope appeared on a public balcony at Rome's Gemelli hospital to bless the crowd shortly before being discharged, in his first public outing in five weeks.
Sunday 23 March 2025 20:20, UK
The pope has arrived home to the Vatican after spending five weeks in hospital battling a life-threatening bout of pneumonia.
It was an extraordinary journey home that saw him take two diversions, including stopping to greet a dog walker.
And it brings to an end a 38-day hospital stay, the longest of Francis's 12-year papacy and the second-longest in recent papal history.
The 88-year-old pontiff appeared on a public balcony at Rome's Gemelli hospital to bless the crowd shortly before he was discharged from the hospital where he has been since Valentine's Day.
Pope's release from hospital as it happened
"I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!" a tired-looking Francis said while waving. He gave a thumbs up - and a weak sign of the cross before being wheeled back inside.
Chants of "Viva il papa!" and "Papa Francesco" could be heard from the crowd, which included patients who had been wheeled outside to catch his brief appearance.
The Pope then began his journey home to the Vatican for a two-month period of rest and convalescence - but not before making two diversions.
He made a short stop at the Papal Basilica to pray - a place on the other side of the city he often visits before and after any trips he makes, and where he has said he wants to be buried, breaking papal convention.
He gave the basilica's cardinal the yellow flowers he had seen from the balcony - given to him by a woman named Carmela Mancuso, from Calabria in southern Italy, who had visited the hospital every day since 14 February.
These were placed before the Salus Populi Romani, a Byzantine-style painting on wood that is revered by Romans. Its title signifies the Virgin Mary as the protector of the people of Rome.
He made a second stop on his journey as his car pulled over and there was an interaction between the pontiff's security and two people, one of whom had a dog.
The Holy Father then appeared to greet the pair through the open car door.
The dog walker, who named herself as Stefania and her dog as Camilla, told Sky News: "I live here up on the street. I just told him welcome back home.
"The Pope seemed very tired, I'll keep praying for him."
He was also seen speaking to two soldiers from his car outside the Vatican gates.
Italian defence sources told our Europe producer in Rome Simone Baglivo the two soldiers are part of the Safe Streets army operation, which is aimed at protecting "targets" around the country from terrorists attacks.
'He's been asking when he can go home'
Doctors announced his planned release on Saturday, and said the Pope should refrain from meeting with big groups - but added that he should be able to resume all normal activities eventually.
No special arrangements have been made at the Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican hotel next to the basilica where Francis lives in a two-room suite on the second floor. But he will have access to supplemental oxygen and 24-hour medical care as needed.
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While the pneumonia infection has been successfully treated, Francis will continue to take oral medication to treat a fungal infection in his lungs and continue respiratory and physical physiotherapy.
"For three or four days he's been asking when he can go home, so he's very happy," Dr Luigi Carbone, his personal physician, said.
The Argentinian pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli on Valentine's Day after a bout of bronchitis worsened.
It developed into double pneumonia, caused by what his doctors called a "complex" infection involving several microorganisms.
During his 38 days in hospital, the Pope suffered four acute episodes of what the Vatican called "respiratory crises", which involved serious coughing fits caused by constrictions in his airways, similar to asthma attacks.
Two of the crises were critical, putting Francis "in danger of his life", said Dr Sergio Alfieri, head of the Pope's medical team.
Dr Alfieri confirmed on Saturday he was still having trouble speaking due to the damage to his lungs and respiratory muscles, but predicted his voice would eventually return to normal.
Pope's hospital release an 'emotional experience' for supporters
Some people in the crowd surrounding the Pope's balcony earlier reflected on what his first public appearance in five weeks meant to them.
Spanish nun Luisa Jimenez said it was "an important emotional experience to see him" with "so many people waiting for this moment".
She said there was so much "joy", despite how little he spoke, adding it had given those praying for him "confidence" he will fully recover.
Binigi Machrine, a faithful from Uganda, said: "I was so, so happy. It has been a long wait. We have been praying, right from the point when I heard that he was sick, we started praying.
"I came here the very first day when he was hospitalised, I dedicated my prayer and I was so happy when I heard that he would come out to give us a blessing, so I am so happy, I am so excited."
David Allan, a tourist from Scotland, was also in the crowd. He said it was good to see the Pope "looking a bit better" and was happy to see him get out of hospital and back to his residence.
Colombian nun Angel Bernal Amparo said she was "happy" to see the pontiff but "at the same time, I felt sad because he didn't look well".
She said she was upset to see that he wasn't able to address the crowd much due to his health, but was ultimately "glad to have seen him".
Simon Nguyen, a faithful from Los Angeles, said he wasn't worried about the Pope because "he always has a sense of youth, also a sense of joy, a sense of spirit", which he said could be seen today.
A busy Jubilee year
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to confirm any upcoming events, including a scheduled audience on 8 April with the King or Francis's participation in Easter services at the end of the month.
But Dr Carbone said he was hopeful the Pope may be well enough to travel to Turkey at the end of May to participate in an important anniversary for the church.
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He has returned to the Vatican in the midst of a busy Holy Year, a celebration that takes place every 25 years and is scheduled to draw more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome this year.
While he has already missed several Jubilee audiences, Vatican officials say his absence hasn't significantly impacted the numbers arriving.
The only other pope to experience such a lengthy hospital stay was St John Paul II who spent 55 days at Gemelli in 1981 for minor surgery and the treatment of an infection.