The pontiff, 88, passed through a jubilant crowd, entering St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in a wheelchair as part of a Jubilee Mass for the Sick.
Pope Francis made his first public appearance since being discharged from the hospital two weeks ago, entering St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in a wheelchair as part of a Jubilee Mass for the Sick.
The pontiff, 88, passed through a jubilant crowd before giving his blessing as the celebrant, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, offered a final blessing as well.
“Have a good Sunday everyone,” said Pope Francis. “Thank you so much.”
The Vatican released a text prepared by Francis shortly after Mass finished on Sunday, praying for “for doctors, nurses and health workers, who are not always helped to work in adequate conditions and are sometimes even victims of aggression.”
“Their mission is not easy and must be supported and respected,” read the statement.
For the remainder of the text, the pope addressed some of the world’s conflicts as he has done in previous addresses.
He prayed for peace in Gaza, where “people are reduced to living in unimaginable conditions, without shelter, without food, without clean water,” as well as “tormented Ukraine.”
“Let us pray for peace throughout the Middle East; in Sudan and South Sudan; in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Myanmar, hard hit by the earthquake; and in Haiti, where violence rages, and two religious sisters were killed a few days ago,” read the text.
The pope had been out of public view since March 23, when he gave a short greeting and blessing from his balcony at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, after more than five weeks of treatment for pneumonia in both lungs, the most serious health crisis of his 12-year tenure. According to his doctors, the pope’s life was in danger twice during this period.
After Francis’ brief appearance in March, the head of his medical team said he would require a further two months of rest once he returns to the Vatican, and his doctors said it would take “a lot of time” for his aging body to fully heal.
The pope’s doctors added that his life had been in danger on two occasions.
Throughout his illness, the Vatican maintained that Pope Francis continued to fulfill his duties, despite staying out of the public eye.
Notably, he missed the Catholic Church’s jubilee celebration, a significant tradition held every 50 years for the remission of sins, known as the Holy Year.
But during his hospitalization, Francis continued his practice of near-nightly calls to the Catholic parish in Gaza, as Israel’s war against Hamas rages on in the Middle East.
Despite his ongoing health struggles, there has been no indication from the Vatican that the pope intends to resign.
