Pope Francis is set to make his first public appearance on Sunday with a blessing and a wave from a window at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment since February 14.
The 88-year-old pontiff has been battling pneumonia in both lungs after being hospitalized for breathing difficulties.
“The pope intends to wave and offer a blessing from the Agostino Gemelli Hospital in Rome following the Angelus prayers,” the Vatican announced on Saturday.
Pope Francis has stopped using an oxygen mask, and after a series of earlier breathing episodes, his condition has improved. The Vatican stated on Monday that the pope is now able to spend short periods breathing on his own.
Throughout the pope’s hospital stay, including during critical moments, the Vatican issued daily updates on his health. Notably, the pope had part of one lung removed in his youth.
The pope’s extended illness and hospital stay have raised concerns about who will oversee the busy schedule of religious events leading up to Easter, the holiest period in the Christian calendar.
