VATICAN CITY. After spending 38 days in the hospital battling double pneumonia, Pope Francis returned to the Vatican on Sunday, marking his first public appearance since February 14. However, with doctors advising two more months of rest, it remains uncertain how often the 88-year-old pontiff will be seen in the coming weeks.
The pope was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital and returned to Casa Santa Marta (St. Martha’s House), the Vatican residence he has called home since his election in 2013. Originally built in 1996 to house cardinals during papal conclaves, Santa Marta functions much like a hotel, with guest rooms, a cafeteria, and a chapel, but is not generally open to the public. Many priests working at the Vatican reside there, with entry restricted to those with special passes.
Pope Francis and his closest aides occupy a section on the second floor of the building. Despite his advanced age and recent health struggles, he has largely managed his daily needs independently. The Vatican has not announced any significant modifications to his residence, except for installing an adjustable bed with electronic controls to accommodate his mobility challenges. The pope has used a wheelchair in recent years.
According to Luigi Carbone, vice director of the Vatican’s healthcare service, Francis will be assisted by a 24-hour nurse and continue receiving supplemental oxygen as needed.
Work Continues Despite Health Concerns
It remains unclear whether Pope Francis will fully adhere to his doctors’ advice for extended rest. Known for his tireless work ethic, the pontiff has continued overseeing the global Catholic Church even during his hospital stay, making key appointments and launching a new three-year institutional reform process.
“I think that for the moment we will only bring to him the most important issues that require a decision from him, so as not to tire him too much,” said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State.
Typically, Pope Francis holds at least two public events per week—a Wednesday audience with pilgrims at the Vatican and Sunday prayers in St. Peter’s Square. In previous illnesses, he has maintained these engagements, sometimes appearing via video link from Santa Marta when necessary. The Vatican has yet to confirm whether he will follow the same approach during his current recovery.
Uncertainty Over Upcoming Engagements
As of now, there is no official update regarding the pope’s upcoming schedule, which includes a planned audience with Britain’s King Charles III on April 8 and the Easter celebrations on April 20.
“I hope that at least he will be able to say hello to him,” Parolin said regarding the meeting with the British monarch.
Originally from Argentina, Pope Francis is the first pontiff from the Americas and the first in over a century to reside outside the Apostolic Palace, a grand Renaissance-era building near St. Peter’s Square. He has previously expressed his preference for living in Santa Marta, citing the company of others as a key reason.
“I’m happy at Santa Marta because I have people around me,” Francis wrote in his autobiography released earlier this year. “I’ll be there so long as God wishes.”
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
