was interrupted to provide a major update on . Jonathan Samuels brought the programme to a sudden halt as he announced that the Pontiff over a month ago. He paused the programme as he told viewers: “Breaking news coming out of Rome. The Vatican have released a new image of the pope.
“It shows the pontiff celebrating holy mass in the chapel of the apartment on the 10th floor of the Gemeli hospital, where he’s been treated now for more than a month.” Samuels handed over to correspondent Lisa Holland, who was reporting live from The Vatican in Rome. “This is a hugely significant moment. It’s the first image that we’ve had of Pope Francis in over a month now. He was taken into hospital on Friday, February 14th and after that we’ve not seen him at all,” Holland said.
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The pope has been pictured for the first time since he was hospitalised over a month ago (Image: Sky News)
Pope Francis has received extensive treatment for pneumonia and other infections (Image: Getty)
Issuing an update on the Pope’s health, Holland continued: “We know that for a long time now he’s struggled with mobility and while he’s been treated in hospital, he’s been largely imobile. There doesn’t appear to be any form of obvious use of oxygen in this moment. Regularly he is supported by oxygen through nasal cannulas through the day and then through an oxygen machine over his face during the night.”
Holland said it is possible that the pope’s nasal cannulas had been taken off for a few minutes while the image was taken, but she is unsure. The broadcaster went on: “You can see that his eyes are open and he is clearly participating in the prayer. It’s worth reminding ourselves that this is the first time we have seen him.
“This is day 31 of his hospitalisation but of course, that whole period in hospital has been a complete rollercoaster for Pope Francis which has gone from times when his condition has been described as typical, now currently described as stable.”
She added: “But he is still and remains a very ill 88-year-old man who’s extremely fragile and suffering from pneumonia in both lungs.”
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Lisa Holland reported live from The Vatican (Image: Sky News)
Holland explained there had been a rumour that the Pope was going to stand at a window and wave to a group of around 100 children who had gone there to wish him well.
As this never happened, Holland believes this is a “sign of how poorly he remains” as doctors likely warned him that this was not a wise thing to do.
In a statement released on Saturday, the warned that the Pope still requires hospital treatment despite his improvement.
The statement said: “The Holy Father still requires hospital medical therapy, motor and respiratory physiotherapy; these therapies, at present, are showing further, gradual improvements.”
The Pope has received extensive since being hospitalised on 14 February. Several respiratory crises had caused serious concern for his life before his recent improvement.