VATICAN – Pope Francis is set to make his first public appearance since being hospitalized on February 14, 2025.
According to an announcement by the Holy See press office on Saturday, the Pope plans to greet and bless the faithful from his hospital window at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital shortly after noon on Sunday.
This highly anticipated moment will also include the distribution of his Angelus reflection, continuing a Sunday tradition upheld during his recovery.
The Vatican’s statement reassured followers that despite several respiratory crises during his treatment, Pope Francis’ health remains stable, and he is steadily recovering.
The Pope’s absence from public life has been marked by limited glimpses into his condition.
The only recent photograph of him, released on March 17, showed the 87-year-old Pontiff seated in a wheelchair after participating in the celebration of the Eucharist.
This image followed weeks of silence, with his voice being heard only once earlier this month in an audio recording played in St. Peter’s Square.
In recent days, Pope Francis has engaged in spiritual exercises of prayer and meditation via video link from the Vatican, signaling his unwavering commitment to his pastoral duties despite physical limitations.
However, his reappearance at the hospital window is expected to provide reassurance to the global Catholic community after weeks of uncertainty.
The Eucharist celebration, which marked the first time the Pope was publicly connected to a liturgical event since his hospitalization, was seen as a poignant moment.
The Vatican’s release described him as prayerful and engaged, offering a glimmer of hope to the faithful.
