Francis has become a recurring favorite to show in incongruous situations, such as riding a motorcycle and attending Burning Man, in A.I.-generated images.
Francis, who has been coping with a variety of health issues, was taken to the hospital on Wednesday. He is being treated with antibiotics for bronchitis, according to the Vatican.
In an in-flight news conference after six days in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, Francis also denounced conservative critics who he said had “instrumentalized” the death of Benedict XVI.