Pope Francis is expected to be released Saturday from the Rome hospital where he is being treated for bronchitis While his recovery progresses in a “normal” way, he even had pizza for dinner and will be in St. Peter’s Square for Palm Sunday Mass, the Vatican said.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni gave the update in a written statement on Friday. In a later statement, Bruni said Francis needed to be in the square for Mass, which marks the beginning of Holy Week and marks the beginning of a series of solemn public ceremonies culminating in Easter on April 9.
Francis, 86 years old, he was hospitalized on wednesday at the Gemelli polyclinic, where doctors said the pontiff was receiving intravenous antibiotics to treat his bronchitis.
“Yesterday it went well, with a normal clinical recovery,” Bruni said. “At night (Thursday), Pope Francis had dinner, eating a pizza, together with all those who are assisting him in these days of hospital stay,” said the spokesman, including doctors, nurses, assistants and security personnel from the hospital. Vatican.
Friday morning, the Pope read the newspapers and resumed his work after breakfast.
The pontiff’s return to the Vatican hotel where he resides “is scheduled for tomorrow, as a result of the latest tests this morning,” Bruni said.
The spokesman later added that since the pope would return to the Vatican on Saturday, Francis was expected to be present in the square for Palm Sunday Mass. He did not indicate whether Francis would deliver a homily during the ceremony, a particularly long service. , or if someone else could read it for him.
Medical staff decided to hospitalize him on Wednesday after he returned to his Vatican residence.or after his customary weekly public audience in Saint Peter’s Square. The Vatican reported that he had experienced shortness of breath in the previous days.
Bruni said Thursday night that antibiotic treatment for bronchitis had resulted in an improvement "checked" in your health.
The Vatican seemed willing to quickly allay any concerns about the pope’s physical fitness to fully carry out his duties. Almost immediately after the announcement of Francis’ discharge date, the Vatican announced that the pope would meet the prime minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday in a private audience at the Apostolic Palace.