Pope Francis waves from a window of the Gemelli hospital before to be discharge after a five weeks hospitalization for pneumonia, in Rome on March 23, 2025. Filippo Monteforte, AFP

VATICAN CITY, Holy See -- Pope Francis's medical team had to decide whether or not to continue treatment after the 88-year-old suffered a serious breathing crisis in hospital, his doctor said on Tuesday.

"It was terrible, we really thought we wouldn't be able to (save him)," Sergio Alfieri said in an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera daily, referring to a crisis when the pope inhaled vomit on February 28.

Francis, 88, was in Rome's Gemelli hospital for almost 40 days suffering from pneumonia and there were fears he might not survive.

"We had to choose whether to stop and let him go, or force it and try all the drugs and therapies possible, running the very high risk of damaging other organs" than his lungs, Alfieri said.

The pope remained clear-headed throughout, but delegated decisions to his personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, in whom he has complete confidence, Alfieri said.

Strappetti ordered the doctors to "try everything, don't give up", Alfieri said. "And no one gave up."

The Argentine was discharged on Sunday but doctors said he faces at least two months of convalescence after what was the longest and most serious hospital stay of his 12-year papacy.

The head of the Catholic Church looked tired and worn when leaving the hospital.

Since then, he has concelebrated mass within the Santa Marta guesthouse where he lives, as well as undergoing breathing and speech therapy to help his recovery, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

But he has received no visitors "apart from his closest associates", it said, and no date has been set for his next appearance in public.

Francis is doing therapy "in order to fully recover the ability to breathe and speak", the Vatican said.

The Vatican has not revealed what sort of medical equipment is being used at Santa Marta, nor how many caregivers are assisting him.

But it has said that when needed, Francis still uses a cannula -- a plastic tube tucked into his nostrils which delivers high-flow oxygen.

The pope will not preside over the weekly general audience on Wednesday, and Sunday's Angelus is likely to be published rather than read aloud by Francis, the Vatican said.

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