Hailey Tran
Pope Francis was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Sunday, 23 March 2025, after a five-week hospital stay for a severe respiratory infection that caused pneumonia in both lungs. The pope, who was admitted to the hospital on 14 February, experienced two critical episodes during his hospitalisation where his life was in danger. He underwent two bronchoscopies to remove mucus secretions in his lungs and received non-invasive ventilation. Pope Francis addressed the crowd outside the hospital before his discharge, marking his first public appearance since his hospitalisation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Discharge date | 23 March 2025 |
| Hospital | Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome |
| Diagnosis | Bronchitis, severe respiratory infection, bilateral pneumonia, polymicrobial infection |
| Treatment | Oxygen therapy, non-invasive mechanical ventilation |
| Recovery | Two months of rest and additional medical treatment |
| Public appearances during hospitalisation | One photograph, one audio recording |
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What You'll Learn
Pope Francis discharged from the hospital after a 5-week treatment
Pope Francis has been discharged from Rome's Agostino Gemelli Hospital after a five-week treatment for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia. The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to the hospital on February 14, 2025, for a severe respiratory infection that led to pneumonia in both lungs. During his hospitalisation, the Pope experienced two critical episodes in which his life was in danger, and he was placed on a non-invasive ventilator. He also underwent two bronchoscopies to remove mucus secretions from his lungs.
Pope Francis made his first public appearance since his hospitalisation on Sunday, March 23, when he briefly greeted hundreds of faithful from a hospital window, waving and giving his blessing to the crowd outside the hospital. He appeared weak but in good spirits, and his voice was subdued from the time spent on oxygen therapy. The crowd erupted in chants of "Viva il papa!" and "Papa Francesco," celebrating his remarkable recovery.
Dr Sergio Alfieri, the head of the Pope's medical team, said that the Pope's health was improving steadily, but he would need time and rest to make a full recovery. The Pope is expected to return to his home at Casa Santa Marta in Vatican City, where he will continue to receive medical treatment and convalesce for at least two months. Dr Alfieri also noted that the Pope had been a good and collaborative patient during his hospitalisation and had stayed in touch with current events, both church-related and political.
Pope Francis's recent hospitalisation was his longest stretch of hospitalisation during his 12-year papacy. He has faced several health challenges in recent years, including surgery for diverticulitis in 2021 and a hernia operation in 2023. Prior to his hospitalisation, he was seen with his arm in a sling due to a fall. Despite these ongoing health struggles, there has been no indication that the Pope intends to resign.
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Pope Francis's health condition and recovery
Pope Francis has been discharged from Rome's Agostino Gemelli Hospital after a five-week hospital stay for a severe respiratory infection that caused pneumonia in both lungs. The 88-year-old pontiff's illness was the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy, and he experienced two "critical episodes" during which his life was in danger. He was given oxygen therapy and placed on a non-invasive ventilator, but he never required a tracheal tube and always remained alert and oriented.
Pope Francis was admitted to the hospital on February 14 for a case of bronchitis and was later diagnosed with a severe respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia. The Vatican maintained that Pope Francis continued to fulfill his duties during his hospitalization, and he was seen by the public once in a photograph released by the Vatican, showing him praying in a hospital chapel.
Pope Francis made his first public appearance on March 23, waving from the hospital window before being discharged and returning to the Vatican. He appeared weak but in good spirits, greeting hundreds of faithful from the hospital balcony. He then left the hospital in his white Fiat 500L and headed to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray before returning to his home at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican.
Doctors have said that Pope Francis will need time for a full recovery from the bilateral pneumonia and that he will need two months of rest and additional medical treatment at the Vatican. They expect his voice, which was frail from time spent on oxygen therapy, to gradually recover. Pope Francis has suffered several health issues throughout his life, including having part of his lung removed at age 21, making him more prone to infections. Despite his ongoing health struggles, there has been no indication that he intends to resign.
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Pope Francis's first public appearance since hospitalisation
Pope Francis made his first public appearance since his hospitalisation on Sunday, 23 March 2025, before being discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital. The Pope waved from the hospital window, appearing in good spirits but weak, and briefly greeted hundreds of faithful who erupted in chants of "Viva il papa!" and "Papa Francesco," celebrating his remarkable recovery.
The 88-year-old pontiff spent five weeks in hospital with pneumonia in February and March, during which he experienced two critical episodes where his life was in danger. Francis underwent two bronchoscopies to remove mucus secretions from his lungs and received non-invasive mechanical ventilation.
The Pope's hospitalisation was due to a severe respiratory infection that caused pneumonia in both lungs, also known as bilateral pneumonia, and a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract. This was the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy, and his voice remained frail from the time spent on oxygen therapy.
Following his discharge, Pope Francis headed to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray and was expected to return to his home at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, where doctors advised two months of rest and additional medical treatment.
On 6 April 2025, two weeks after his release from hospital, Pope Francis made another surprise public appearance at the Vatican, where he greeted crowds and was seen in a wheelchair wearing a nasal cannula to aid his breathing.
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Pope Francis's return to the Vatican
Pope Francis has returned to the Vatican after being discharged from hospital on Sunday, 23 March 2025. The pope had been hospitalised since 14 February, spending over five weeks in the hospital battling a severe respiratory infection that caused pneumonia in both lungs.
The 88-year-old pontiff's health crisis was the most serious of his 12-year papacy. During his hospitalisation, Pope Francis experienced two critical episodes where his life was in danger, and he was placed on a non-invasive ventilator. Doctors also revealed that the pope underwent two bronchoscopies to remove mucus secretions from his lungs.
Upon his release from the hospital, Pope Francis made his first public appearance since his hospitalisation, greeting a crowd of faithful followers from a hospital window. He appeared weak but in good spirits, waving and giving his blessing to the crowd. The crowd erupted in chants of "Viva il papa!" and "Papa Francesco," celebrating his remarkable recovery.
Pope Francis then left the hospital in his white Fiat 500L and headed to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray. He will now return to his residence in the Vatican, Casa Santa Marta, where he will continue his convalescence and rest for at least two months, receiving additional medical treatment. Doctors have emphasised that the pope's recovery will take time and that he will need to gradually resume his normal activities and work schedule.
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Pope Francis's previous health issues
Pope Francis has had a series of health issues over the years, with his advanced age and prior complications causing concern among experts. In his youth, Pope Francis, then known as Jorge Bergoglio, suffered a severe respiratory infection at the age of 21, which resulted in the removal of part of one lung. This left him with smaller respiratory reserves and an increased vulnerability to respiratory infections in his later years.
In 2021, Pope Francis underwent a six-hour operation to address diverticulitis, a painful bowel condition. During this surgery, 33cm (13 inches) of his colon was removed. He later revealed that he did not respond well to the general anaesthesia and experienced long-term negative side effects. The pope also developed a separate, painful knee issue, which he chose to treat with laser and magnet therapy instead of surgery to avoid the potential risks associated with anaesthesia.
Pope Francis has experienced recurring bouts of influenza and related health issues since the beginning of 2023. In March 2023, he was hospitalised due to difficulty breathing. In June 2023, he underwent abdominal surgery to remove scar tissue and repair an abdominal hernia. In November 2023, he was forced to cancel his trip to the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai due to influenza and lung inflammation.
In February 2025, Pope Francis was hospitalised for treatment of bronchitis and diagnostic tests, during which he experienced trouble breathing. He was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he received treatment for bilateral pneumonia and a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection. He also exhibited signs of mild kidney failure, which was reported to be "under control". Pope Francis's health condition showed slight improvements, and he was using high-flow oxygen therapy less frequently.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital on Sunday, March 23, 2025. He had been hospitalized since February 14, 2025, for bronchitis, which later developed into bilateral pneumonia and other health complications.
Pope Francis experienced two "critical episodes" during his hospitalization where his life was in danger. He underwent treatment, including oxygen therapy and non-invasive ventilation, and his condition improved steadily.
Pope Francis made his first public appearance on Sunday, March 23, 2025, where he greeted a crowd of faithful supporters from the window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, waving and offering his blessings.
