Recovering Pope goes to church
The Vatican released the first photo of Pope Francis since he was admitted more than a month ago to hospital for pneumonia
SERVICE: The Holy See Press Office has released a picture of Pope Francis in prayer
Image: Holy See Press Office
BY AFP
The Vatican on Sunday released the first photograph of Pope Francis since the 88-year-old pontiff was admitted more than a month ago to hospital for pneumonia in both lungs.
The photo shows the pope, bare-headed, seated in a wheelchair and wearing a white robe and purple shawl, in front of a simple altar with a crucifix on the wall.
The Vatican press office wrote in the photograph’s caption: “This morning Pope Francis concelebrated the Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli Polyclinic.”
The release of the photo by the Vatican was significant, as the Argentine pontiff has not been seen in public since being admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on 14 February, which for weeks doctors considered critical.
He has improved steadily in the past week, however. In a medical bulletin Saturday, the Vatican said his condition continued to be stable, although he still required therapy to be administered from the hospital.
Earlier Sunday in an Angelus message to the faithful published by the Vatican, the pope addressed his health, sharing that he was “fragile” and “facing a period of trial”.