On Friday, Pope Francis baptized a baby and greeted children at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, showing signs of a rapid recovery from bronchitis that had resulted in his hospitalization earlier in the week. The Vatican stated that Francis would return home on Saturday and participate in the Palm Sunday service the following day, marking the start of Easter Week celebrations.
The Vatican’s medical team confirmed that the Holy Father had responded well to an infusion of antibiotics, which treated his bronchitis. The pope was shown standing up in a video released by the Vatican, baptizing a baby who was in a hospital cot. In another image, Francis handed an Easter egg to a young child. According to the Vatican, the Pope spent approximately 30 minutes in the children’s cancer and neurosurgery wards before returning to his own room.
The pope’s health improvement was demonstrated by the fact that he performed these tasks while still in the hospital. Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the college of cardinals, announced that cardinals would assist the pope during the upcoming Easter celebrations and take care of altar duties, highlighting the pope’s persistent knee pain.
Francis has suffered from various health problems over the years, with his most recent hospitalization occurring in July 2021, when he had part of his colon removed to treat diverticulitis. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church in Marseille expressed confidence that the pope would attend a meeting of bishops and youths from around the Mediterranean, and it was announced that he would visit the southern French city on Sept. 23.