Pope Francis reveals his fortune: ‘I’m still alive’

The Pontiff hugged a woman who lost her little daughter

Pope Francis has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for bronchitis. The 86-year-old pontiff responded well to an infusion of antibiotics for difficulty breathing, the medical team said.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, left the hospital to return to the Vatican after being treated for bronchitis, telling reporters before leaving: “I’m still alive.”

According to The Observer, the 86-year-old Pope was taken to Rome’s Gemelli hospital three days ago after complaining of difficulty breathing. According to his medical team, the pontiff responded well to the infusion of antibiotics.

“I’m not scared, I’m still alive,” Francis told reporters in a light-hearted comment before leaving the hospital.

Pope Francis got out of his car before leaving and left the hospital grounds, leaning on a cane. He greeted the well-wishers gathered around and spoke briefly to the waiting reporters, confirming that he would preside over the Palm Sunday service in St. Peter’s Square and deliver his usual weekly address to the faithful.

Before returning to the car, Francis hugged a weeping mother whose young daughter had died overnight in the hospital, and then prayed with both parents.

The dad also signed the cast of a little boy with a broken arm and waved from his car window as he drove away.

When asked by journalists if he was scared during his stay in a hospital bed, the Pope replied: “No, I’m afraid not.”

He said: “There is a lot of heroism in the hospital, a lot of tenderness for patients. You know sick people, we are capricious. Moody comes with illness. You need to be patient.”

He praised the Gemelli hospital staff. “I went into the children’s department and saw how tenderly they took care of the children,” he said.

“Now I need to sleep for four days,” joked the head of the Roman Catholic Church, answering various questions.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed on Friday that Francis is expected to attend this weekend’s Palm Sunday service, a major event in the church calendar that kicks off Easter week celebrations.

Holy Week, as The Observer recalls, includes a hectic schedule of rituals and ceremonies that can be physically exhausting, including a Good Friday night procession outside the Colosseum in Rome.

Dean of the College of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re said that the cardinal will assist the Pope during the celebration of the week and perform altar duties.

A similar arrangement was introduced last year when the pope sat on the sidelines during some Easter events due to persistent knee pain, leaving senior cardinals to preside over masses.

The Pope, who celebrated the 10th anniversary of his pontificate in March, has suffered from a number of illnesses in recent years, recalls The Observer.