Pope Francis to Be Discharged From Hospital on Sunday, Doctors Prescribe Two Months of Rest

The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Sunday, following a severe respiratory infection that became the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy.

The head of his medical team, Sergio Alfieri, confirmed on Saturday that while the 88-year-old pontiff will return to the Vatican, he will need at least two months of rest to fully recover.

“The recommendation for a period of convalescence of at least two months is very important,” Alfieri told reporters, adding that doctors have advised the pope to avoid large gatherings or engagements requiring significant effort.

During his hospitalization, Pope Francis was battling double pneumonia and suffered four acute respiratory crises, two of which were life-threatening, according to Alfieri.

Though the pontiff no longer has pneumonia, doctors say he is still recovering from a complex infection involving multiple micro-organisms.