Today, on Sunday, March 23, 2025, marks a memorable day in the history of Pope Francis’ pontificate. After 38 days of hospitalization, the Pope reappears in public during the Angelus. He emerges in a wheelchair on the balcony for two minutes, greets, blesses, and gives a thumbs-up sign to show that everything is okay. Looking down at the three thousand faithful present, he says, “Thank you all. I see this lady with the yellow flowers, how kind.” His voice has improved compared to the audio message from over a week ago. His appearance also looks good, considering what he has been through. And then he goes back inside.
From Casa Santa Marta, he had left on February 14, feverish, and with bilateral pneumonia that twice this month has brought him “to a life-threatening situation,” as the doctors said yesterday. The emotion of seeing him again, even for such a short time, is enormous.
Around 1 pm, the Pope’s car entered the Vatican gates, crossing through the Perugino Gate, closest to Santa Marta, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, was waiting for Francis.
It is a day of celebration for the Pope’s recovery, fervently invoked with prayers and rosaries. Francis entrusts himself to a Marian prayer, the Angelus, to finally show himself in person, after the photo released last Sunday showing him in the chapel of his apartment on the tenth floor of Gemelli. All eyes are fixed on that window, not only those of the thousands of people crowding the entrance square of the hospital, around the statue of St. John Paul II, the epicenter of prayers and tributes in these days. But also the eyes of the whole world, following the broadcast distributed worldwide by Vatican Media channels.
The Pope speaks only a few words, but how significant they are. The rest he communicates through body language. And now he can finally go back home, where he will have to rest for at least two months. In practical terms, this means that he will not be able to hold audiences for some time. Then we will see. And even for the rituals of Holy Week, less than a month away now, his participation will be evaluated based on the evolution of his health condition. The Pope’s mood is good, as seen today, and he is “extremely happy” to return home, the doctors said. He has recovered from bilateral pneumonia, never had Covid, was never intubated, and remained alert and well-oriented, as reported by medical staff yesterday afternoon. He just needs rest, and the best place for him right now is his home.
The text of the Angelus, as had happened in the five previous Sundays during his hospitalization, was distributed in writing. Commenting on the parable of the barren fig tree and the patience of the farmer, Francis writes: “In this long period of hospitalization, I have experienced the patience of the Lord, reflected in the tireless care of the doctors and healthcare workers, as well as in the attentions and hopes of the families of the sick. This trusting patience, anchored in God’s unfailing love, is truly necessary in our lives, especially to face the most difficult and painful situations.”
Then the Pope turns his thoughts to the scenes of war. “I have been saddened by the resumption of heavy Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip, with many dead and wounded. I ask for an immediate ceasefire; and the courage to resume dialogue, for the release of all hostages and to achieve a definitive ceasefire. The humanitarian situation in the Strip is once again extremely serious and requires urgent commitment from the warring parties and the international community.” “I am pleased, however,” the text continues, “that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the final text of the Peace Agreement. I hope it will be signed as soon as possible and thus contribute to establishing lasting peace in the Southern Caucasus.”
Finally, Francis expresses gratitude for the prayers: “With so much patience and perseverance, you continue to pray for me: thank you so much! I also pray for you. Together, let us implore an end to wars and make peace, especially in the tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo. May the Virgin Mary protect us and continue to accompany us on the journey towards Easter.” And indeed, this evening, prayers were said in St. Peter’s Square. The Rosary was led by the canons of the Chapter of St. Peter’s Basilica and guided by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the Archpriest of the same Basilica. It is the last one in St. Peter’s Square. From tomorrow, Monday, March 24, it will continue in the Basilica at 4:30 pm.
Salutations and meetings before leaving the hospital
This morning, before stepping out onto the balcony on the fifth floor of the hospital to greet and give the blessing, Pope Francis briefly greeted the staff and leaders of the Catholic University and Gemelli Policlinico: the Rector of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Professor Elena Beccalli; the President of the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, Dr. Daniele Franco; also the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the Catholic University, Professor Antonio Gasbarrini; the Vice President of the Gemelli Policlinico Foundation, Dr. Giuseppe Fioroni; the General Director of the A. Gemelli IRCCS Policlinico Foundation, Professor Marco Elefanti, the Ecclesiastical Assistant General of the Catholic University, Archbishop
Welcome back Pope Francis!
It was a moment of joy and relief for many as Pope Francis returned to Santa Marta after his surgery. Monsignor Claudio Giuliodori, and Professor Sergio Alfieri, Director of the Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences at the Policlinico and Head of the medical team at Gemelli; the health director of the Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli, Dr. Andrea Cambieri, were among those who greeted the Pontiff.
Shortly after, greetings also came from the Rector of the Catholic University, Elena Beccalli, and the President of the Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli, Daniele Franco, who expressed their heartfelt wishes for his recovery. They acknowledged that many shared in his suffering, and now the University and the Policlinico “cannot but rejoice in having been able to contribute to the healing of the Holy Father.”
Even Vatican News, led by its editorial director, Andrea Tornielli, expressed joy for Pope Francis’ return to Santa Marta with an editorial titled “Welcome back home!”
