March 23, (THEWILL) – Head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis, has left the hospital on Sunday, to his Vatican home after surviving a five-week, life-threatening bout of pneumonia.
The 88-year-old argentine, who had one of his lungs removed as a young man, had experienced breathing difficulties before he was rushed to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14.
Before leaving hospital on Sunday morning, Francis gave a thumbs up and acknowledged the crowd after he was wheeled out onto the balcony overlooking the main entry.
Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was elected to the papacy in March 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, over old age and health concerns.
His 38-day stay was the longest of his 12-year papacy and the second longest in recent papal history, and had raised the prospect of a papal resignation or funeral. His return home, after the longest hospitalisation of his 12-year papacy and the second-longest in papal history, brought tangible relief to the Vatican and Catholic faithful.
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