By Vatican News

The Pope’s convalescence continues regularly, and he continues showing improvements, the Holy See Press Office said on Friday morning.

During a briefing on the Pope’s health, the Press Office conveyed that Pope Francis continues to show clinical improvements as he recovers at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta, following his hospitalization for a polymicrobial infection that resulted in bilateral pneumonia.

The Holy Father was released from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital with “protected discharge” on Sunday, 23 March.

Pope Francis’ condition has shown further slight respiratory, mobility, and voice-related improvements, and blood tests are good, noted the Press Office.

The Holy Father has been continuing his treatment and mobility- and respiratory-related physical therapy; he also requires less supplemental oxygen. During the day, he can go extended periods of time without being administered oxygen.

Moreover, Pope Francis continues his work activities and is in good spirits, said the Press Office.

It noted the Holy Father has received visits from collaborators in the Roman Curia, including the Vatican’s Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra; the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher; Archbishop Luciano Russo, the Secretariat of State’s Secretary for Pontifical Representations, and other Curia Superiors and Dicastery Prefects.

The Press Office noted it is still too early to discuss the Pope’s participation in Holy Week liturgies, since weather plays a role, explaining that more information will likely be given event by event.

For the first major liturgy of Holy Week, Pope Francis has chosen Cardinal Leonardo Sandri as his delegate to preside at the Mass for Palm Sunday.

The latest update came the day after the Pope’s surprise outing to spend some time in St. Peter’s Basilica. On Wednesday, he held a private audience at the Casa Santa Marta with Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla, expressing his best wishes for their wedding anniversary.

On Sunday, he also surprised when he made his first public appearance in the Vatican since leaving the hospital. At the end of Mass for the Jubilee of the Sick and Healthcare Workers on Sunday, the Pope appeared briefly on the stage, greeting and blessing the crowd, telling pilgrims, “Have a good Sunday, and thank you very much.”

In light of all the above, the Press Office acknowledged that the Pope’s improvements could be observed on those occasions.

Regarding Thursday’s outing, the Press Office said the Holy Father was taking a walk and decided to prolong it by going to pray in the Basilica.

The next briefing on the Holy Father most likely will be on Tuesday, 15 April.