Pope Francis will leave the Roman university hospital "Agostino Gemelli," where he has been for 37 days, on Sunday. The Pope's clinical condition is stable, but he will still need to undergo a longer pharmacological therapy at the Santa Marta guesthouse in the Vatican, according to his doctors at a hastily arranged press conference on Saturday. The Pope will need at least two months of rest.

Pope's Hospital Stay Comes to an End

Pope Francis should be able to speak well again in a relatively short time after a month-long battle against bilateral pneumonia, said Sergio Alfieri, head of the medical team that treated the Pope at the Gemelli hospital.

"It is hard to say when the Pope will regain his ability to speak, but considering the improvements that have occurred, recovery in a short time is possible," said Vatican doctor Luigi Carbone. The Pope is very happy to return to the Vatican. "The hospital is the worst place to continue convalescence because the likelihood of infections is greatest there," added Alfieri.

Francis Twice in Life-Threatening Danger

Francis was admitted to the Gemelli clinic in Rome on February 14 due to bronchitis, which developed into bilateral pneumonia. The 88-year-old suffered several severe respiratory crises and had to be ventilated, at times he was twice in life-threatening danger according to his doctors. Subsequently, his health condition improved again and has been stable for about two weeks.

On Saturday morning, the Vatican announced that the Pope would greet the faithful and give them a blessing from the window of his room in the hospital during the Sunday prayer. Francis will not say the prayer himself, the Vatican announced. This is his way of saying goodbye to the hospital, said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. Normally, the Pope holds a prayer at noon on Sundays at St. Peter's Square. Since his hospital admission, Francis has not been able to do so. The Angelus prayer has since been published in writing.

(APA/Red)

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