ROME — A convalescing Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to celebrate Easter services on Sunday, as a cheering and emotional crowd of thousands gathered at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square.
The crowd erupted when the pontiff, 88, appeared in his wheelchair, looking out over a square awash in daffodils and tulips.
“Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter,” he said, waving and giving his blessing.
In the days leading up to Easter, the Vatican had not confirmed whether the pope would be able to attend the Mass, saying it would depend on his health. This underscored Francis’ continued fragility and the urgency with which many Catholic faithful hoped to see him in his waning years.
On Sunday morning, Francis held a brief private meeting with Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic. The meeting lasted a few minutes, the Vatican said, long enough for them to exchange Easter wishes.
Last week, Francis publicly rebuked the Trump administration for its immigration crackdown and for slashing international aid, and in February, he wrote an unusual open letter to U.S. Catholic bishops saying a “major crisis” was taking place in the United States, referring to “the initiation of a program of mass deportations.”
The pontiff did not lead the Easter Mass, with Cardinal Angelo Comastri, a retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, taking his place and delivering the homily that Francis has prepared.
But after the Mass ended, the pope appeared to rapturous applause as a military band kicked off a round of the Holy See and Italian anthems. Diego Ravelli, master of ceremonies, then delivered the Urbi et Orbi papal address.
During the address, Francis made a strong appeal for peace around the world, particularly in Gaza, where he said “terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction,” and called for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.
The pontiff offered prayer to Christian communities in Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon and Syria, and mentioned the ongoing conflict and suffering in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Sudan, South Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas,” the statement said. “For all of us are children of God!”
After the service, Francis took to his open-topped popemobile to greet crowds in the square, blessing babies and children during the drive.
The Easter week is the most important on the Catholic calendar, but this year it has also been a test of Pope Francis’ health after he spent more than five weeks in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for treatment for pneumonia in both lungs, the most serious health crisis of his 12-year tenure.
According to his doctors, his life was in danger twice during that period, and they considered ending treatment. “We had to choose whether to stop and let him go, or push forward and try everything,” one of his doctors, Sergio Alfieri, said shortly after the pope was released from the hospital.
Since then, Francis had made only brief public appearances, but they have provided reassuring signs of his recovery. He greeted a crowd in St Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday last weekend, and on Holy Thursday he visited a Roman prison. He also met privately with King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the Vatican earlier in the month.
The 88-year-old Francis is entering his fifth week of convalescence, during which doctors have advised him to avoid crowds.
After Francis was discharged from the hospital in March, the head of his medical team said he would require a further two months of rest, and his doctors said it would take “a lot of time” for his aging body to fully heal.
Throughout his illness, the Vatican maintained that 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.
The pope’s declining health sparked speculation over whether he would retire just as his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, did in 2013.
But despite his ongoing health struggles, there has been no indication from the Vatican that the pope intends to resign.