A frail Pope Francis made his first public appearance in five weeks on Sunday morning after battling a life-threatening case of pneumonia in both lungs.
The 88-year-old pontiff offered a brief blessing from his 10th-floor papal suite at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he had been admitted 38 days prior for bronchitis treatment.
Sitting in a wheelchair, Pope Francis was escorted to the window to wave to the crowd of hundreds who had gathered outside.
He even threw a thumbs-up and raised a victory fist — though the upper part of his arms noticeably didn’t move when he made any gestures.
The pontiff stood at the window for less than two minutes before he was wheeled away — deeply exhaling and closing his eyes before he disappeared back into the hospital.
Francis was ordered to start a two-month rehabilitation period when he returned to the Vatican.
“For three or four days he’s been asking when he can go home, so he’s very happy,” his physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, said.
This is a developing story
With Post wires
