Rome, Italy - Pope Francis spoke to reporters after he was released from a hospital in Rome on Saturday, having spent almost three days there being treated for bronchitis.

As the head of the Catholic Church was being driven back to the Vatican from the Gemelli Polyclinic, his motorcade stopped in front of the hospital entrance. The 86-year-old got out of his car and chatted briefly with journalists.

"I'm still alive," he quipped when asked how he was feeling.

He also announced that he would be at Mass in St Peter's Square on Palm Sunday – putting to bed worries in the Vatican that the Pope might miss the Holy Week services and even those at Easter.

Francis praised hospital and healthcare staff. "In hospitals, heroism is needed and also tenderness with the sick," the pontiff told journalists.

"As sick people, we are all cranky," he added, adding that "crankiness is part of illness."

The pope said he had starting feeling unwell on Wednesday. This resulted in him being admitted to the Vatican university hospital, where he stayed in a special papal apartment.

He added that he had not been afraid during his days spent in hospital.

After speaking to reporters outside the Gemelli clinic, the Pope turned to a weeping woman. A member of staff whispered to him that her five-year-old daughter Angelica had died during the night.

Francis took the woman in his arms and stroked her head. Together with her and her partner, he then said a prayer and blessed them both.

"Courage!" he said, as shown in videos released of the moment.