PPope Francis has left the Gemelli Clinic in Rome. On Saturday morning he spoke to journalists and passers-by in front of the hospital. According to ear witnesses, he jokingly commented on his condition with the words: “I’m still alive!” He completed the interviews standing.
After that he blessed a woman and a man with whom he had spoken at length; to say goodbye, he kissed them both on the cheek. According to the Vatican press office, the couple had lost a child the night before. Francis then sat in the passenger seat of a white Fiat 500.
Security forces initially had trouble clearing a path for the vehicle through the large number of people present. First, the Pope went to the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he prayed in front of the icon of Mary.
The head of the Catholic Church had been in the papal wing of the Roman university clinic since Wednesday afternoon. According to the Vatican, Francis was treated with antibiotics for infectious bronchitis, which led to a significant improvement. At first there was talk of a stay for planned examinations.
The state of health of the 86-year-old pope has been changing for some time. About a year ago, Francis broke his knee. That’s why he has been doing most of his appointments in a wheelchair since May. He also announced in January that his intestinal disease, diverticulitis, had returned. In 2021, Francis underwent surgery for intestinal inflammation at the Gemelli Clinic.