After a 38-day hospital stay, Pope Francis has been discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital and has returned to the Vatican. The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to the hospital on February 14 after suffering from a severe respiratory infection that evolved into double pneumonia. This was the longest hospital stay of his 12-year papacy and the second-longest in recent papal history.

On Sunday, Pope Francis made his first public appearance in more than five weeks, appearing on a balcony at the hospital to bless a crowd of onlookers. He waved to the people, gave a thumbs up, and acknowledged a woman holding yellow flowers. Despite looking frail and struggling to speak, he thanked the crowd and gave a blessing, though he appeared to have difficulty raising his arms. Chants of "Viva il papa!" and "Papa Francesco" erupted from the crowd, which included patients who had been wheeled outside to catch a glimpse of the Pope.

Shortly after his public appearance, Pope Francis was released from the hospital and began his journey back to the Vatican. However, he made two unscheduled stops along the way. First, he stopped at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray. This basilica is a place he often visits before and after trips, and where he has expressed his desire to be buried, breaking papal convention. He gifted the yellow flowers he had received to the basilica's cardinal, who placed them before the Salus Populi Romani, a revered Byzantine-style painting of the Virgin Mary.

The second stop occurred when the Pope's car pulled over, and he greeted a dog walker named Stefania and her dog, Camilla. Stefania told Sky News that she welcomed him back home and that the Pope seemed very tired.

Upon his return to the Vatican, Pope Francis will continue his convalescence at Casa Santa Marta, where he has lived since his election in 2013. Doctors have advised him to rest for at least two months to allow his body to fully heal. During his hospital stay, he required non-invasive mechanical ventilation and oxygen for several weeks. Although his voice is improving, he needs more time to fully recover. While the pneumonia has been successfully treated, he will continue to take oral medication to treat a fungal infection in his lungs and continue respiratory and physical physiotherapy.

Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of the medical team, noted that the Pope had experienced two very critical episodes during his hospitalization where his life was in danger. He emphasized the importance of the two-month convalescence period and advised the Pope to gradually return to work, avoiding large groups of people for some time.

Despite his health challenges, Pope Francis has remained in good spirits and had been asking to be discharged for several days, according to Dr. Luigi Carbone, the Vice-Director of the Vatican’s healthcare service.

The Pope's return to the Vatican comes during a busy Holy Year, a celebration held every 25 years that is expected to draw over 30 million pilgrims to Rome. While he has missed several Jubilee audiences, Vatican officials state that his absence has not significantly impacted the number of arrivals.

The only other pope to experience such a lengthy hospital stay was St. John Paul II, who spent 55 days at Gemelli in 1981 for minor surgery and the treatment of an infection.