Barely three days after he was taking to Rome’s Gemelli hospital, Pope Francis has now returned home where he was being treated for a respiratory infection.
The Pope is now expected to participate in a Palm Sunday Mass service in St Peter’s Square.
The Pontiff was in good spirits when he responded to question saying “[I’m] still alive, you know!”
When asked if he got scared on Wednesday due to his respiratory problems, the Pope recalled what an “old man” told him after going through a similar situation.
“An old man, older than me, told me after a situation like this: ‘Father, I didn’t see death, but I saw it coming. It’s ugly, eh!'”
Pope Francis, 86, was taken to Gemelli hospital on Wednesday and given antibiotics to treat infectious bronchitis.
The pontiff – who as a young man suffered from severe pneumonia and had part of a lung removed – has had a recent history of medical issues.
He has often been seen with a walking stick and sometimes uses a wheelchair due to pain in his right knee. Last year, he canceled a trip to Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan after doctors said he might also have to miss a later trip to Canada unless he agreed to have 20 more days of therapy and rest for his knee. He ultimately went to the DRC and South Sudan in February.
Francis also suffers from diverticulitis, a common condition that can cause the inflammation or infection of the colon. In 2021, he had surgery to remove part of his colon.