Breaking news. Pope Francis makes first public appearance from hospital window

The Pontiff came to his hospital window in a wheelchair and then both waved and put his thumb up to the crowd of faithful below.

In a soft voice he then briefly addressed them before minutes later being wheeled back into his room.

Francis will shortly leave the hospital to be transferred to his residence in Santa Marta where he will have to comply with a convalescence period of at least two months.

In a conference announced as a surprise, the hospital’s medical team announced on Saturday that the Pontiff has recovered from pneumonia but will have to stay at rest and will not be able to meet with groups of people immediately.

The Pope risked his life in two episodes during his hospitalisation

Sergio Alfieri, director of the department of medical surgical sciences at the Gemelli Hospital, explained at a press conference that polymicrobial infections take time to cease but that the Pope will be able to return to speaking as before. When Francis sent an audio message to the faithful on 6 March to thank them for their closeness and prayers, many wondered whether the Pontiff had experienced further problems during his hospitalisation. Alfieri explained that it was a olağan effect of the infection and that in time the Pope would return to his olağan speech pattern.

According to reports, during the 37 days of his hospitalisation the Pontiff continued to work, but the infection was serious and in two episodes he almost died. During his convalescence, he will not need much treatment but will need oxygen like all patients who are discharged for pneumonia.

Our journalists are working on this story and will update it as soon as more information becomes available.