Pope Francis taken to hospital: The Vatican, at the head of the Catholic Church, announced leaving the hospital on Saturday

Rome – Pope Francis is expected to be discharged on Saturday from a Rome hospital where he is being treated for bronchitis as his recovery is proceeding in a “normal” way, he even ate pizza for dinner and will be in St. Peter’s Square for a Palm Sunday mass, the Vatican said.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni provided the update in a written statement on Friday. In a later statement, Bruni said Francis was expected in the grounds for Mass, which marks the start of Holy Week and heralds a series of solemn public ceremonies that culminate in Easter Sunday, April 9.

Francis, 86, was hospitalized Wednesday at Gemelli Clinic, where doctors said the pope was receiving intravenous antibiotics for bronchitis.

Bruni said: “Everything went well yesterday, and he recovered clinically normally. In the evening (Thursday), Pope Francis dined, ate pizza, with everyone who helps him in these days of hospital stay.” Security of the Vatican.

On Friday morning, the Pope read the papers and resumed his work after breakfast.

Bruni said that the Pope’s return to the Vatican Hotel, where he lives, “is expected tomorrow, as a result of the last tests this morning.”

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The spokesperson later added that since the Pope is expected to return to the Vatican on Saturday, Francis is expected to be present at the Mass on Palm Sunday. He did not indicate whether Francis would preach a sermon during the ceremony, except for a lengthy service.

Medical staff decided to take him to hospital on Wednesday after he returned to his residence in the Vatican after his usual weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square. The Vatican reported that he had experienced difficulty breathing in the previous days.

Bruni said Thursday night that antibiotic treatment for bronchitis had led to a “significant” improvement in his health.

Treatment in the hospital came four days before Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week.

Francis had already largely stopped celebrating Mass on the holy days of the main Catholic Church due to a chronic knee problem, but he continued to officiate ceremonies and preach sermons.

Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said Friday that Francis will be able to officiate – but not celebrate – Holy Week ceremonies.

Appointments in Holy Week include the Endurance Late Night Way of the Cross Procession, which features prayers on Good Friday at the Colosseum in Rome and Easter Mass on April 9, which is traditionally followed by a long papal address delivered from the central balcony of St. … St. Peter’s Basilica.

During Wednesday’s hour-long audience, Francis at times seemed visibly in pain as he moved around with help from assistants.