“I'm still alive”, Pope Francis of the hospital

After staying at a hospital in Rome for three nights, Pope Francisescu has been released on Saturday and is now expected to begin preparations for the week's most loaded on his annual agenda.

As he was leaving the hospital, he joked with the crowd of supporters and journalists gathered, saying he's “still alive”.

He was hospitized on Wednesday because of an infection in respiratory organs, but his condition had improved over days after receiving medical treatment.

On Friday, Pope Francis had visited the children's office with cancer at Rome's hospital, which he had given chocolate for the Easter holiday and even baptized a baby, according to a video published by the Vatican.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni had announced on Friday that Pope Francis would be released from the hospital and would head the large mass Sunday.

This is the most busy period of the year for Pope Francis, as many events and services are planned before the Easter weekend. In addition to Sunday Mass, there are celebrations of Holy and Easter Weeks on its agenda during the coming week.

The pope also had a visit to Hungary scheduled for late April.

The Vatican initially said the Pope had gone to hospital for a preplanned search, but Italian media questioned this after a TV interview had been cancelled in recent moments.

The pope has been using the cart to move over the past few months because of some problems with his knee.

He also underwent surgery for a colon problem in 2021. In January, he said his problem had been returned.

Despite his illness, the pope has remained active and has even travelled abroad. In February, he visited the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

In January, the Pope led his predecessor's funeral in office, Pope Benedict XVI ʹ, who was the first pope in the centuries to voluntarily resign from his position. He had mentioned poor health as a reason for his resignation.

Pope Francisescu has said earlier that he may want to follow Benedict's steps if his health deteriorates. / REL