(ZENIT News / Rome, 22.03.2025).- “The good news that I believe everyone is awaiting is that tomorrow [Sunday, March 23,nd] he will be discharged. Tomorrow the Holy Father will return to Santa Marta,” is how Dr Sergio Alfieri began the press conference, called at the last minute on Saturday afternoon, March 22 in the Gemelli Hospital, where the Holy Father has spent a total of 36 days (37 if the Sunday is also considered, before the discharge).
After this news, Dr Alfieri reviewed the six weeks that the Pope has spent in hospital. The Pope arrived «with acute respiratory failure due to a polymicrobial infection, that is, viral and bacterial. This resulted in severe bilateral pneumonia requiring combined drug therapy. During his recovery, the Holy Father’s clinical condition has presented two very critical episodes, in which the Holy Father was in danger of death. Drug therapy, the administration of high-flow oxygen, and unassisted mechanical ventilation achieved slow and progressive improvement, bringing the Holy Father out of the most critical episodes. The Holy Father has never been intubated; he has always remained alert, oriented, and present. The Holy Father, as I said at the beginning, will be discharged tomorrow in a stable clinical condition, in which he has remained for at least two weeks. Evidently, on the part of the entire team of doctors who have followed the Holy Father here in the Gemelli, there is a prescription to partially continue the pharmacological therapies, drugs that he will still have to take for a long time, orally, and the recommendation of a period of rest during convalescence for at least two months is very important.»
Then the Pope’s personal Doctor, Luigi Carbone, intervened, who said: «The Holy Father will return to Santa Marta. It’s a protected discharge, as Professor Alfieri explained, which will require convalescence. Of course, for Santa Marta, we evaluated, along with colleagues who followed the Holy Father here at the Gemelli Polyclinic, the needs, and, like all patients who are discharged who are 88 years old, who have had pneumonia, we evaluated the needs of the Holy Father, which are normally the needs for oxygen, if and when he needs it, healthcare that the Directorate of Health and Hygiene [of the Vatican] can safely offer the Holy Father at Santa Marta, and then we prepare to welcome him home.»
After the two interventions, time was given for journalists’ questions.
The first question was what the Pope’s life will be like when he returns to the Vatican: what he will be able to do and not do, and if he will need therapy to recover his speech fully. To which the doctors answered that, as in every period of convalescence, he will have to continue with the therapies, including motor and respiratory physiotherapy. Underscored also was that during his hospitalization the Pope worked and will continue to do so when he returns to the Vatican. However, the doctors have prescribed to the Pope an appropriate period of recovery and convalescence so that “he will not be able to take up immediately his work activity with groups of people at meetings or with important appointments that he could eventually face, once he has finished the prescribed convalescence and the expected clinical improvements are verified.”
Dr Alfieri specified that, in a medical condition like the one the Pope experienced, when the muscles have been in difficulty, «one of the first things that happens is the loss of voice.» He added: both in young and elderly patients, «but especially in the elderly, it will take time for the voice to be what it was before. It’s a normal part of convalescence.»
A second question was about the fears and concerns of the doctors in regard to this new stage of the Pope’s health and what time it will take for the Pope to recover his voice. There is “no concern,” said one of the doctors. And the other doctor noted that once the stability that the Pope has experienced for two weeks has been established, «further progress must be made at home. Even though it may seem strange to say it, the worst place to convalesce is the hospital, since that’s where the most infections are recorded.»
A third question revolved around whether there is a complication of diabetes for the Pope. The answer was clear: The Pope doesn’t have diabetes, but, “when one has such a serious infection there are many elements that are unbalanced there, so that in the past a diabetologist intervened.
The fourth question was about how much the Pope wanted to leave the hospital or what the doctors felt, whether the exit was agreed or was requested, a question that was followed immediately by another by the same person: when the two months of convalescence are up, will the Pope be able to take up his ordinary life again? The answer was that the discharge was decided by the doctors. The Pope, in fact, wanted to leave some days ago. In regard to the time of recovery, there was no concrete answer.
The fifth question was if the Pope still had an infection in his lungs, and if there is an adapted place in Santa Marta for the next stage in Pope Francis’ life and possible requirements in face of an emergency situation. The doctors announced that the most serious infections have been resolved, but some microbial presence requires more treatment time. He doesn’t have pneumonia anymore, but he does have the presence of some bacteria. Regarding the Pope’s needs in Santa Marta, it was said that Vatican City’s Health Service has everything necessary to handle any emergency.
The Vatican spokesman intervened at this point to confirm that the Pope will appear at the window of his room in the Gemelli Hospital, before returning to the Vatican, at midday on Sunday, March 23.
The sixth question was about the Pope’s presence in the Holy Week liturgical services, Easter and Carlo Acutis canonization. The answer was that it would depend on his improvement.
The seventh question revolved around the Pope’s reaction to the news of his discharge and if he will be able to receive visitors. One of the doctors was clear about this: following discharge, they prescribed a two-month period of rest and convalescence and advised against meeting with groups, against strenuous exertion, and advised people who had been scheduled to see him for a long time and who had a small child with a slight case of influenza to respect this situation. The other doctor emphasized that this was a recovery phase, so he couldn’t carry out the same activities he did before. Regarding how he received the news, they emphasized: «He’s very happy. He’s been asking when he was coming home for three or four days, so he’s happy.»
The eighth journalist asked for an intervention in English, to which Dr Alfieri answered with a summary in that language.
The ninth question was about what type of rehabilitation the Pope will have and his mood. The Doctor answered that the therapy is continuous to that initiated in the Hospital. They summarized the Pope’s mood with an experience: the doctors approached him and asked him how he was: “still alive,” he answered, which reflected his good mood.
The tenth question was if the Pope had lost weight, if he can eat on his own and if he can write. The answer is that the Pope has lost weight, that he can write and also eat on his own, progressing increasingly in this respect.
The eleventh question had to do with the time and mode of departure, for which no details were offered.
Finally, the twelfth question had to do with a trip to Turkey, which it was said would be difficult to undertake. The Vatican spokesman also pointed out that the trip had not been confirmed.
