Recovering Pope appears at Easter blessing, lets you read

Pope Franciscus appeared on Sunday during the Easter mass on Sint-Pietersplein in Vatican City to briefly express part of the Easter blessing Urbi et Orbi. Despite his brittle health, the 88-year-old Pope appeared to greet the crowd and pronounce the blessing.

In February and March, Franciscus was in the hospital for weeks in critical condition. He also made a fragile impression on Easter Monday. Under loud cheers of those present on the square, he was driven in a wheelchair to the balcony of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. He waved to the public with his right hand.

Just after noon, the pope expressed a few words: « Brothers and Sisters, Blessed Easter ». He sounded short of breath, talking seemed to cost him a lot of effort. The full speech was not pronounced by the Pope, but by Archbishop Diego Ravelli.

Double infection

About two months ago, Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome for shortness of breath, after which it turned out that he was suffering from a double pneumonia. According to the Vatican, he was in danger; Among other things, he received oxygen and underwent a blood transfusion.

After five weeks Should the Pope leave the hospital again. He must keep two months of rest. That the Pope pronounced the Easter blessing on Sunday was therefore not a matter of course.

On White Thursday, the Pope visited prisoners in the Regina Coeli prison in Rome-also in a wheelchair. According to international press agencies, he would also have spoken with the American vice president JD Vance briefly on Sunday morning. Vance is in the Vatican this weekend, but a visit to the pope was not on his agenda in the first instance.

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