Pope Francis to Make First Public Appearance After Five Weeks

Tomorrow, Pope Francis will make his first public appearance after five weeks, where he will bless and greet a crowd from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the Vatican has announced.

The 88-year-old is recovering from double pneumonia, according to the BBC.

He has been seen by the public only once since being hospitalized on February 14, in a photograph published by the Vatican last week, which showed him praying in a hospital chapel.

The Vatican said on Friday that the Pope’s condition is improving, but an official mentioned that he might need to “learn to speak” again after prolonged use of high-flow oxygen therapy.