Pope Francis will be discharged on Sunday after spending over a month in the hospital receiving treatment for double pneumonia, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of his medical team, announced.
“The Holy Father will be discharged tomorrow in stable clinical condition, with instructions to continue partial drug therapy and observe a convalescence and rest period of at least two months,” Alfieri said at a news conference at Gemelli Hospital on Saturday.
“We are happy to say that tomorrow he will be home,” he added.
Before leaving the hospital, the pope will make his first public appearance from the hospital’s balcony, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed. He will then return to Casa Santa Marta, his residence since the 2013 conclave.
Though Francis has recovered from double pneumonia, he is still battling some lingering infections, according to Dr. Luigi Carbone, vice-director of the Vatican’s healthcare service. While his voice is improving, Carbone noted that he still requires time to fully recover.
The 88-year-old pontiff will continue the therapy and physiotherapy after he has been discharged, Carbone added.
Pope Francis will offer a blessing and greeting to well-wishers at the conclusion of Sunday’s Angelus prayer, the Vatican press office announced Saturday. While he typically leads the prayer and delivers a weekly reflection, he has been unable to do so for the past five Sundays.
News of his impending discharge was met with celebration among Catholic worshippers from Vatican City to his homeland of Argentina.
In St. Peter’s Square, where faithful have gathered nightly to pray for his recovery, Saturday’s prayers were mixed with relief.
“It’s a great joy for all of us who have been coming here each evening to pray,” worshipper Richard Gundel told Reuters. “Now we’ve received wonderful news.”
In Buenos Aires, a video showed a framed photo of the pope placed at a church as worshippers attended Mass to pray for his health.
“When I heard the news today, it gave me goosebumps,” said Raquel Martinez, smiling outside the church. “I was so moved—it’s indescribable.”
The pope’s hospitalization has been his longest since his election 12 years ago. While he has remained out of the public eye, his presence has been felt through a short audio message and a recent photo released by the Vatican, showing him praying in the hospital chapel.
Since his admission in mid-February, Francis has endured two serious health episodes that put his life at risk, according to the Vatican and his medical team.
Dr. Luigi Carbone, vice-director of the Vatican’s healthcare service, said the pope is in good spirits and has been eager to leave the hospital for several days.
His condition has steadily improved, with doctors now considering his pneumonia under control, the Vatican reported earlier this week.
Despite his extended hospitalization, Francis has continued to shape the Church’s future. Last week, he approved a new three-year reform process aimed at expanding the roles of women in the Church—including the possibility of ordaining female deacons—and increasing lay participation in governance and decision-making.
The move signals his intent to remain in office, even after his prolonged medical stay.
