The Vatican has released the first photograph of Pope Francis since the 88-year-old was admitted to hospital more than a month ago with pneumonia in both lungs.
The photo shows the pope, bare-headed, seated in a wheelchair and wearing a white robe and purple stole – typical of Lenten liturgical vestments – in front of a simple altar with a crucifix on the wall.
Taken from behind Francis’s right side, his face is not fully visible but his eyes are open as he looks in a downward direction.
The Vatican press office wrote in the photograph’s caption: “This morning, Pope Francis concelebrated the holy mass in the chapel of the apartment on the 10th floor of the Gemelli polyclinic.”
Concelebration is the joint celebration of mass by senior clerics.
The release of the photo by the Vatican was significant, as the Argentinian pontiff has not been seen in public since being admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome on 14 February, and for weeks was in critical condition according to doctors.
He has improved steadily in the past week, however. In a medical bulletin on Saturday, the Vatican said his condition continued to be stable, although he still required therapy to be administered from the hospital.
Earlier on Sunday in an Angelus message to the faithful published by the Vatican, the pope addressed his health, sharing that he was “fragile” and “facing a period of trial”.
