Pope Francis will be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Sunday, following a five-week stay for a severe respiratory infection that developed into double pneumonia, his medical team confirmed.

Doctors say the 88-year-old pontiff will return to the Vatican but will need at least two months of rest and recovery before resuming full duties.

Dr. Sergio Alfieri, one of the physicians overseeing the Pope’s care, revealed that during his hospitalization, Pope Francis experienced two “very critical episodes” that put his life at risk.

Despite the seriousness of his condition, he was never intubated and remained alert and oriented throughout the treatment.

While the Pope has not fully recovered, his pneumonia has cleared, and his overall condition is now stable, Alfieri told reporters on Saturday.

“Today we are happy to say that tomorrow he will be at home,” Alfieri announced.

Before returning to the Vatican, Pope Francis is expected to offer a blessing from his hospital window—his first public appearance since being admitted on February 14.

Dr. Alfieri noted that it may take time for the Pope’s voice to fully recover: “Patients with double pneumonia, especially elderly ones, often lose their voice, and it takes time to regain normal speech.”

Cardinal Victor Fernandez added that “high-flow oxygen dries everything out,” contributing to the Pope’s current vocal strain.

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis has shown notable improvements in recent days, including better breathing and mobility. He is no longer dependent on mechanical ventilation at night and now uses a nasal oxygen tube, with reduced reliance on high-flow oxygen during the day.

Since his hospitalization began, the Pope has largely remained out of the public eye. He was last seen in a Vatican-released photo praying in the hospital chapel. Earlier this month, a pre-recorded audio message was played in St. Peter’s Square, where a breathless Pope thanked the faithful for their prayers in his native Spanish.

Pope Francis, who has served as head of the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years, has battled multiple health issues, including the removal of part of a lung at age 21, which leaves him especially vulnerable to respiratory infections.

If his recovery continues on track, doctors say the Pope may gradually return to work duties in the coming weeks.