Pope Francis Seen Celebrating Mass In Hospital In 1st Photo Since His Double Pneumonia Diagnosis – News18

Last Updated:March 17, 2025, 07:09 IST

The Argentine pope has not been seen in public since he was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 for pneumonia in both lungs, as his condition turned critical.

The Vatican released the first photograph of Pope Francis on Sunday, over a month since he was admitted to the hospital in February for double pneumonia. The pontiff was seen celebrating mass from the chapel in his hospital suite.

The Argentine pope has not been seen in public since he was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 for pneumonia in both lungs, which for weeks doctors considered critical. There was no obvious sign that he was receiving supplemental oxygen, as mentioned in medical bulletins.

The latest photo released by the Vatican shows the pope bare-headed without his customary white skullcap, wearing a white robe and purple stole. He was seated in a wheelchair in front of an altar with a crucifix on the wall. No one else was visible in the room.

“This morning Pope Francis concelebrated the Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli Polyclinic,” the Vatican press office wrote in the caption. Since his hospitalisation, Francis has been unable to preside over the mass at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

“This morning Pope Francis concelebrated the Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli Polyclinic,” the Vatican press office wrote in the caption. Since his hospitalisation, Francis has been unable to preside over the mass at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

ALSO READ: Pope Francis, Still In Hospital, Starts New Process For Catholic Reforms

Pope Francis’ First Message Since Hospitalisation

The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church made his first remarks in an audio message on March 6, where he sounded weak and breathless. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square. I accompany you from here,” he said.

“May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you,” the Argentine said in his native Spanish. The message was broadcast in Saint Peter’s Square, where prayers have been held every evening for the pope, and applause broke out among the hundreds of pilgrims gathered there.

Earlier on Sunday, dozens of children – many from war-torn countries – gathered outside Rome’s Gemelli hospital to greet Francis on his fifth Sunday hospitalised. While the pope did not appear from the 10th-floor suite of windows, he thanked them and acknowledged their presence in the traditional Sunday blessing.

What Happened To The Pope?

The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church has been in Rome’s Gemelli hospital since February 14 with pneumonia in both lungs. The first three weeks of his hospitalisation were marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, including respiratory crises, mild kidney failure and a severe coughing fit.

However, his condition has gradually improved and doctors said the pontiff was no longer in critical, life-threatening condition. However, they have continued to emphasise that his condition remained complex due to his age, lack of mobility and the loss of part of a lung as a young man.

The Vatican has also suspended morning updates and is issuing less frequent medical bulletins since a notable improvement in the pope’s health. An X-ray this week confirmed that the infection was clearing.

In the most recent bulletin on Saturday, doctors said they were working to reduce the pope’s reliance on a non-invasive ventilation mask at night, which will allow his lungs to work more. He is receiving high-flow supplemental oxygen through a nasal tube.

Doctors said the pontiff could even be discharged in the near future after spending more than a month in the hospital. Speculation is now growing as to whether he may be able to participate in celebrations for Easter, the holiest period in the Christian calendar, which culminates on April 20.

(with inputs from agencies)