Pope Francis greets Easter crowds at St Peter’s Basilica

Pope Francis made a brief appearance on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square, drawing cheers as he continues his recovery from double pneumonia.

Pope Francis on the main balcony of St Peter's basilica on Easter Sunday. Picture: AFP

Pope Francis made a brief appearance on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd as the 88-year-old continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.

“Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” Francis said, his voice sounding stronger than it has since his hospitalisation. “Viva il Papa!” (Long live the Pope), the crowd responded.

The Pope traditionally delivers his Urbi et Orbi (To the City and the World) benediction from the balcony that overlooks St Peter’s Square, but he gave that task to a collaborator on Sunday.

His address, read out for him, said a “growing climate of anti-Semitism around the world is worrisome,” while also condemning the Gaza situation and reiterating his call for a ceasefire.

“I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation.”

Pope Francis blesses the crowd. Picture: AFP

He later made a surprise tour of St Peter’s Square in his pope-mobile. He appeared listless but waved occasionally at the thousands of faithful from his vehicle.

Given his delicate health following treatment for pneumonia, it had not been certain whether the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics would be present, or if so, in what capacity.

In the end, the Pope made his appearance.

Just beforehand, he had a brief private meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, who was visiting Rome with his family.

Pope Francis meets US Vice-President JD Vance. Picture: Vatican Media/AFP

“The meeting, which lasted a few minutes, gave the opportunity to exchange greetings on Easter Sunday,” wrote the Vatican in a brief statement, saying the encounter took place at the Pope’s residence shortly before 11.30am local time (7.30pm AEST).

Their meeting came months after a spat between Francis and the administration of US President Donald Trump over its anti-migrant policies.

The Holy See’s press service had not confirmed whether the pope would participate in Sunday’s Easter celebrations, insisting it depended on his health.

That did not stop what the Vatican said was a crowd of some 35,000 people from gathering Sunday under hazy skies in the plaza decorated with tulips and other spring flowers in front of St Peter’s Basilica, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Jesuit pope.

Marie Manda, 59, from Cameroon, was one of those thinking positively. “Of course we hope to see the pope but if he’s not here and he’s still suffering we’ll see his representative,” she said. “But we want to see the pope, even sick we want to see him!”

Indian tourist Rajesh Kumar, 40, said, however, that he had no idea it was Easter when he booked his holiday with his wife.

Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the popemobile after the Easter mass. Picture: AFP

“After coming here we realised there is a festival going on, the pope is going to give a speech, so we just entered and we are ready for it,” he said.

Francis was released from hospital on March 23, after five weeks of treatment for pneumonia, from which he nearly died. His voice remains weak, despite improvements in his breathing. In the last week, Francis has appeared in public twice without the nasal cannula through which he has been receiving oxygen.

For the first time since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has missed the majority of Holy Week events, such as Friday’s Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum and Saturday’s Easter vigil at Saint Peter’s Basilica, where he delegated his duties to cardinals.

He did, however, make a brief appearance inside the basilica on Saturday, where he prayed and gave candies to some children among the visitors.

Some 300 cardinals, bishops and priests were present at Sunday’s Easter mass.

Francis performed one official engagement this Holy Week, visiting a jail in Rome, but he did not perform the traditional foot-washing ritual, which seeks to imitate Jesus Christ’s washing of his disciples’ feet. Asked by a journalist after his visit what he felt about this Easter week in his current condition, the pope replied: “I am living it as best I can.”

AFP