As he departed the hospital in Rome after a three-day stay, Pope Francis quipped that he was “still alive.”
He was taken to Gemelli Hospital in the middle of the week with respiratory problems and was later identified with pneumonia.
According to the Vatican, he is reacting to medicines and will be freed on Saturday, based on test findings.
“I wasn’t scared because I’m still alive,” the 86-year-old pontiff told media and well-wishers outside the hospital before being taken away.
He was seen from the vehicle beaming and waiving before stepping out to talk to a gathering. He then proceeded to the Vatican.
The Pope’s hospitalization occurred just days before Easter, the biggest week in the Christian calendar.
Holy Week, as it is called, is packed with activities and ceremonies that can be physically taxing.
According to Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni, the Pontiff is expected to attend this weekend’s Palm Sunday ceremony.
The Argentine Pontiff, who celebrated his tenth year as Pope earlier this month, has had a number of health problems throughout his life, including having a portion of one of his organs removed at the age of 21.
He has also been using a scooter in recent months due to leg issues.
The Pope, on the other hand, has stayed busy, touring the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan in February. He presided over the burial of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, the month before.
