Pope Francis will be discharged from hospital tomorrow after receiving treatment for double pneumonia – but doctors insist he will need at least two months of rest.
The 88-year-old pontiff has been at Gemelli Hospital in Rome for more than five weeks since being admitted for a severe respiratory infection on 14 February.
Dr Sergio Alfieri, the head of the team taking care of the Pope, told reporters Francis was “in danger of losing his life” during “very critical episodes” in his hospital stay.
The Pope will return to Santa Marta, his residence in the Vatican, on Sunday, he said.
Dr Alfieri said the pontiff was now in a “stable clinical condition” but he would continue taking medication “for quite a long time”.
“It’s very important that he follow a period of convalescence and rest for at least two months,” he added.
The Vatican previously said he would appear from the window of his 10th floor hospital room on Sunday to offer a blessing – which he will do before he is discharged.
A photo released by the Vatican last week showed the leader of the Catholic church celebrating Sunday mass in a hospital chapel.
Pope Francis in the chapel at the Gemelli hospital. Pic: Holy See Press Office
The Vatican said in a statement that Pope Francis wanted to come to the hospital window around noon (11am UK time) on Sunday to give a greeting and blessing.
One senior cardinal said on Friday it could take time for the Pope to “relearn to speak” after using oxygen during his hospital stay.
Pope Francis at the Vatican just days before he entered hospital. Pic: AP
Dr Sergio Alfieri addressed this during Saturday’s news conference, pointing out that when someone has double pneumonia “the lungs are damaged”.
“They [lungs] have been damaged and breathing muscles have been strained. One of the first things that happens is that our voice diminishes… like when you use your voice too much.”
But he insisted that, in time, the voice would return to normal.
Read more from Sky News:
King and Queen due to meet Pope
Pope records message from hospital
Despite the Pope’s discharge from hospital, there has been no update about his plans to meet the King and Queen when they make a state visit to the Vatican on 8 April.
But doctors said on Saturday they had prescribed two months of convalescence and had advised him against taking any meetings with large groups or that require special effort.
This period marks the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy and the longest he has been out of public view since his election as pontiff in 2013.
