Christianity

Pope Francis Leaves Hospital After Five Weeks

Published MAR 23 2025

Story

Above: Pope Francis leaves the Gemelli Hospital on March 23, 2025, in Rome, Italy. Image credit: Antonio Masiello/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

Pope Francis on Sunday made his first public appearance in a wheelchair after five weeks of hospitalization with a life-threatening bout of pneumonia. Before leaving for the Vatican, he greeted and blessed the crowd gathered outside the Gemelli Hospital in Rome from his hospital window.
Vatican
Sky News
In his Angelus prayer, the Pontiff said he was "saddened by the resumption of heavy Israeli bombing on the Gaza Strip," called for an "immediate" end to Israeli strikes on Palestinians, and resumption of dialogue "so that all hostages may be released and a final ceasefire reached."
Vatican
NDTV
Upon leaving the Gemelli Hospital, Francis is expected to return to Casa Santa Marta, a guesthouse in the Vatican that has been his residence throughout his papacy. There, he will continue to receive oral medication and the therapies he had in the hospital.
America Magazine
NBC
Francis had been in hospital since Feb. 14 with bronchitis that developed into bilateral pneumonia, complicated by a microbial tract infection, and at least two life-threatening episodes. He has been in stable condition for the past two weeks and will need to rest for at least two months.
The Times (UK)
The New York Times
It remains unclear who will lead religious events leading up to Easter, as well as whether Francis will be able to participate in the canonization of Carlo Acutis, to meet Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and to travel to Turkey for the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea in late May.
America Magazine
RTE
Aged 88, Pope Francis is the oldest Pontiff since Leo XIII, who died in 1903 at the age of 93, and his current stay in hospital is the longest since his election in 2013 — and the longest for a pope since John Paul II spent 55 days in hospital in 1981.
CNN
EL PAÍS English

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Pope Francis' declining health condition raises questions about the future of his papacy. Given his age, his recovery could take months, and he will be less present in the coming months. He has already written a resignation letter if he can no longer do so. This could be the end of the pontificate as we have known it until now.

La Croix

France 24

Narrative B

Though the Pope has been in hospital for weeks, he has been able to stay in control of the Church. From the beginning of his papacy, Francis has sought to show himself as an ordinary man — and being candid about his weaknesses does just that. Now that he has left the hospital, he is closer to resume all his normal activities.