The Vatican has released the first photo of Pope Francis since the 88-year-old leader got admitted to the hospital more than a month ago with pneumonia in both lungs.

The image shows Pope Francis, bare-headed, seated in a wheelchair and wearing a white robe and purple shawl, in front of a simple altar with a crucifix on the wall.

Taken from behind Francis’s right side, his face is not fully visible but his eyes are open as he looks in a downward direction.

“This morning Pope Francis participated in the holy mass with other senior clerics in the chapel of the apartment on the 10th floor of the Gemelli polyclinic,” the Vatican press office reported in the photograph’s description.

Participating in the mass with other senior clerics is known as concelebration.

The release of the photo by the Vatican was significant, considering the Argentine pontiff has not appeared in public since being admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on 14 February, and for weeks, his condition was considered critical according to medical reports.

However, his health has improved consistently over the last week. In a medical update on Saturday, the Vatican stated that his condition remains stable, although he continues to need therapy provided by the hospital.

In a video message on Sunday, the Pope spoke about his health, mentioning his fragility and the fact that he is going through a challenging period.