Thousands of people chanted Francis' name at the first public appearance since he was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14, suffering from a respiratory illness that developed into pneumonia.
Francis, 88, appeared on a balcony at the hospital shortly after noon on Sunday.
"Thank you very much, everyone," Francis said weakly into a microphone, waving his hands from his lap and flashing thumbs up.
The pope's doctors said on Saturday it would still take "a lot of time" for his aging body to fully heal, adding that they had prescribed the pontiff a further two months of rest at the Vatican.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on the social media platform X, that she was "happy" to see Francis return home. She expressed her "affection and gratitude for his tireless commitment and his precious guidance".
This was the pope's fourth and longest hospital stay since his 2013 election.
SOURCE: AFP; IAR
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