The Vatican on Sunday shared the first image of Pope Francis in over a month, offering a rare glimpse into his recovery. The photo shows the pontiff seated in a wheelchair, dressed in a purple stole -- an iconic element of Lenten liturgical attire -- facing the altar inside the private chapel of his hospital suite. According to Vatican officials, Pope Francis was taking part in a Mass alongside fellow priests within the 10th-floor papal apartment at Rome's Gemelli hospital. Interestingly, no other individuals are visible in the photograph, lending the moment a personal and intimate tone.
This marks the first public acknowledgment of the Pope's direct participation in a religious service since his February 14 hospitalisation due to a serious flare-up of chronic bronchitis, which later escalated into double pneumonia. Despite the severity of his illness, there were no visible signs of him using supplemental oxygen -- something that had been highlighted in earlier medical updates -- indicating a possible improvement in his condition.
See Pope's latest image here
What did doctor's say about Pope's health
Doctors this week said the pontiff was no longer in critical, life-threatening condition, but they have continued to emphasise that his condition remained complex due to his age, lack of mobility and the loss of part of a lung as a young man. In an audio recording released March 6, the pope spoke in a feeble and laboured voice as he thanked the faithful in St Peter's Square for their prayers.
His condition has been gradually improving over the last week, leading the Vatican to suspend morning updates and to issue less frequent medical bulletins. An X-ray this week confirmed that the infection was clearing. In the most recent bulletin on Saturday, doctors said they were working to reduce the pope's reliance on a non-invasive ventilation mask at night, which will allow his lungs to work more. He was continuing to receive high-flow supplemental oxygen, delivered by a nasal tube, during the day — although no such apparatus was evident in the photograph.
Pope's telegram message
Last week, the Pope sent a telegram expressing his prayers and closeness to those who have experienced deadly flooding in the Argentinian port city of Bahia Blanca as well as the nearby city of Cerri. In his message, Pope Francis expressed his sadness for the natural disaster affecting the region surrounding Bahia Blanca, which, he acknowledged, claimed many lives and caused massive damage.
"I offer fervent prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased. I wish to express my spiritual closeness to the entire population, beseeching the Lord to grant comfort to the bereaved and to all those who are suffering in these moments of pain and uncertainty, and prayed the Lord also sustain with his grace all those committed to searching for the missing and undertaking the arduous process of rebuilding the devastated areas," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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