Vatican Releases First Photograph Of Pope In More Than A Month

In this picture released by the Vatican Press Hall Pope Francis celebrates a mass inside the chapel of the Agostino Gemelli polyclinic in Rome, Sunday, March 16, 2025. via Associated Press ROME — The Vatican on Sunday released the first photograph of pope in more than a month, showing Francis co-celebrating Mass in the hospital chapel. Dozens of children toting yellow and white balloons — many from war-torn countries — gathered outside Rome’s Gemelli hospital to greet Pope Francis on his fifth Sunday hospitalized with double pneumonia. He called it ‘’the most beautiful caress.’’ “The children represent a symbolic medicine for Pope Francis,’’ Fortunato said. Doctors underlined that while the pope’s condition is stable, he still requires hospitalization for treatment along with physical and respiratory therapy, which are “showing further gradual improvements,” the Vatican said Saturday in the first medical update in three days.