The 88-year-old pontiff greeted people at the Vatican and appeared to be in good spirits

He was seated in a wheelchair and appeared to be wearing what appeared to be a nasal cannula to aid his breathing

The pope was in the hospital for five weeks in February and March due to pneumonia. He came close to his death during the illness, according to his medical team

He seemed in better health than he had been seen in public, which was two weeks shortly before he was discharged from Gemelli Hospital in Rome

At that time, he struggled to speak and raise his arms. However, he managed to wave to people and gave a thumbs up from a balcony

During his public appearance on Sunday, Pope Francis seemed to move his arms more easily. His voice appeared weak but stronger than what it was two weeks back

On February 14, the pontiff was admitted to Gemelli Hospital, initially suffering from a severe respiratory infection. Subsequently, he was diagnosed with a polymicrobial infection, which evolved to pneumonia in both lungs

He was discharged from the hospital on March 23 and was expected to recover at his residence in the Vatican, Casa Santa Marta. At the time, Pope Francis' doctors, while addressing a news conference, said that he would need to recuperate for at least two months to allow his body time to fully heal