Pope Francis was released from the hospital Sunday and made a brief public appearance to thank a crowd of well-wishers. The 88-year-old pope spent 38 days in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he battled a lung infection, double pneumonia and two respiratory crises that nearly killed him. Before leavi ng the hospital, Francis made a brief appearance on a balcony, where he thanked people who prayed for his health over the past month and gave a shoutout to one woman in the crowd. “I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!” he said in a breathless voice. Pope Francis appears on his balcony to speak to the crowds at the Gemelli hospital, the first time he has appeared in public since being admitted to hospital on March 23. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) The pope’s motorcade then left the hospital, passed the Vatican and made a brief stop at St. Mary Major basilica, where Francis has often visited after hospital stays. The pontiff did not exit his custom popemobile but he passed flowers to the basilica’s cardinal. Francis then returned to his home at the Domus Santa Marta, a Vatican hotel where he has lived in a two-room suite since he was elected in 2013. The pope’s latest hospital stay was the longest of his papacy. Francis was admitted to Gemelli on Feb. 14 while battling bronchitis. He was later diagnosed with a complex bacterial, viral and fungal respiratory tract infection. AP Photo/Marco RavagliPope Francis leaves in a the Gemelli hospital in Rome on Sunday. (AP Photo/Marco Ravagli) Francis eventually developed double pneumonia, increasing fears he would not survive. On Feb. 28, he endured a coughing fit and inhaled vomit, forcing doctors to aid him with supplementary oxygen through a mask. Five days later, he suffered another respiratory crisis but again pulled through. Following his release on Sunday, Francis is expected to take two months to recover at home. He will receive 24-hour monitoring and care. The Vatican did not say if Francis will be able to participate in upcoming scheduled events, such as an April 8 meeting with Britain’s King Charles III or the Easter celebration on April 20. With News Wire Services ...read more read less