Pope Francis left the hospital Saturday after a three-night stay for a bronchitis infection, joking with wellwishers and journalists waiting for him outside that he was “still alive”.
The 86-year-old pope, who was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Wednesday with breathing difficulties, got out of the car transporting him and smiled and joked with the crowd, before heading off to the Vatican to begin preparations for the most important week in the Christian calendar.