HOSPITALISED FOR FIVE WEEKS
Pope Francis’ death comes a day after he had made his first prolonged public appearance since being discharged on Mar 23 from a 38-day hospital stay for pneumonia.
On Easter Sunday, the pope entered St Peter’s Square in an open-air popemobile shortly after midday, greeting cheering crowds. He had also offered a special blessing for the first time since Christmas.
The Argentine pontiff had been recovering at the Santa Marta guesthouse. He was hospitalised for five weeks earlier this year with life-threatening pneumonia. While in hospital, he almost died twice.
The double pneumonia damaged his lungs and strained his respiratory muscles, doctors said. After being discharged, he returned to the Vatican for a convalescence of at least two months.
In early April, the Vatican said a chest X-ray confirmed a “slight improvement” in Pope Francis’ lungs and improvements were also reported in his motor skills, voice and breathing.
Although he had continued to use oxygen through a cannula, the pope had been able to remove it for short periods. The pope had issued statements, including one on Mar 16, acknowledging his fragile health.
On the day he left the Gemelli, he appeared in a wheelchair on a hospital balcony, waving his hands from his lap to the hundreds of pilgrims gathered below to greet him.
He spoke a few words in a weak voice, saying through a microphone: “Thank you, everyone.”
