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By Joshua McElwee
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis returned to the Vatican on Sunday after surviving a five-week battle in hospital against double pneumonia that became the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy.
The 88-year-old pope, who also made his first public appearance since February 14 before being discharged from Rome's Gemelli hospital, left the facility shortly after noon.
A car carrying the pontiff was accompanied by police vehicles through Rome, making a short detour to take flowers to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a church to which Francis has a special devotion and visits frequently.
Though the pope has returned from hospital, his doctors have said it would still take "a lot of time" for his ageing body to heal fully.
They have prescribed a further two months of rest at the Vatican and told him to avoid large or stressful meetings, leaving unclear how much activity Francis will undertake in the coming months.
Just before leaving the hospital on Sunday, Francis smiled and waved at a group of well-wishers gathered outside. He used a wheelchair, as he has done for several years.
His face looked swollen and there were bandages visible on both arms underneath his white cassock during the appearance, which lasted only a few moments.
He spoke briefly, with a feeble voice, to thank 79-year-old Carmela Vittoria Mancuso in the crowd below. Mancuso, who visited the hospital each day during the pope's treatment, had brought yellow flowers for him. She told Reuters afterwards that her heart "was bursting" when the pope noticed her.
Francis had only been seen by the public once before during his hospital stay, in a photo the Vatican released last week, showing the pontiff at prayer in a hospital chapel.
The pope, who has been receiving oxygen to help him breathe throughout his hospital stay, was breathing on his own during the public appearance. But he was seen using a small hose under his nose for oxygen while travelling in his car.
In the moments before the pontiff's appearance on Sunday, the crowd of hundreds of well-wishers called out for him, chanting "Francis, Francis, Francis".
THANKS DOCTORS FOR 'TIRELESS CARE'
Francis, pope since 2013, was first admitted to hospital for a bout of bronchitis that developed into double pneumonia, caused by what his doctors called a "complex" infection involving several microorganisms.
During his 38 days in hospital, the pope suffered four acute episodes of what the Vatican called "respiratory crises", which involved serious coughing fits caused by constrictions in his airways, akin to asthma attacks.
Two of the crises were critical, putting Francis "in danger of his life", Sergio Alfieri, the head of the pope's medical team, told a press conference on Saturday.
While Francis no longer has pneumonia, he is also not completely healed, the doctor said. Alfieri said it would also take time for him to regain full use of his voice, after battling a respiratory infection for so long.
On Sunday, the Vatican released a brief text it said was prepared by Francis, in which he thanked his doctors for their "tireless care".
Many Catholics around the world had been praying for the pope's recovery, and pilgrims at the Vatican on Sunday expressed relief at his leaving hospital.
"This discharge cheers us all up and gives us joy and hope," said Grazia Mara, an Italian. "We wish him a safe return home and a speedy recovery."
The pope had continued to lead the Church from hospital.
He was making usual appointments of Catholic bishops around the world and also launched a new three-year reform process for the global institution.
But a period of two months rest for Francis could lead to significant changes to the Vatican's calendar of coming events.
The pope had been set to meet with Britain's King Charles on April 8 and to lead the Vatican's annual Easter celebrations on April 20.
The Vatican has not said whether Francis will be able to keep those appointments.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Additional reporting by Giulio Piovaccari, Lavina Sdoga and Roberto Mignucci; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Helen Popper and David Goodman)
