Pope Francis made a brief surprise appearance at the end of a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, marking his first public event following his 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia.
« Happy Sunday everyone, » said the smiling pontiff. « Thanks a lot. »
The pontiff made the unannounced appearance at a special Jubilee Year Mass for the sick, health care workers and those who care for the sick. Francis waved as the surprised crowd stood and applauded as he was wheeled to the front of the altar in St. Peter’s Square.
The April 4 appearance was his first time the pontiff has been seen publicly at the Vatican since Feb. 9 and follows a 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia where he twice nearly lost his life.
Francis was discharged on March 23 and has been mandated to spend two months convalescing at the Vatican guest house where he resides.
While the pope’s voice was strained, it sounded stronger than when he briefly greeted crowds from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on the day of his release.
The crowds roared as the 88-year-old pontiff was brought out into the sun-drenched square for his surprise return today. Francis, who continues to receive oxygen, was wearing nasal tubes for the occasion.
According the Vatican, prior to arriving in the square, Francis went to confession in St. Peter’s Basilica and passed through the Holy Door for the Jubilee Year.
The pope is currently undergoing physical and motor therapy and his doctors have recently estimated that he will have a 90%-100% recovery following his convalescence.
The pope’s traditional Sunday blessing and the homily were read by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, organizer of the Holy Year that is expected to bring some 30 million pilgrims to Rome. In the homily and blessing read for him, Francis referred to his experience with illness and addressed the sick who were attending the service.
« In this moment of my life I share a lot: the experience of infirmity, feeling weak, depending on the others for many things, needing support, » Francis said. « It is not easy, but it is a school in which we learn every day to love and to let ourselves be loved, without demanding and without rejecting, without regretting, without despairing, grateful to God and to our brothers for the good that we receieve, trusting for what is still to come. »
Francis also urged the faithful not to push the fragile from their lives « as unfortunately a certain mentality does today. Let’s not ostracize pain from our surroundings. Let’s instead make it an opportunity to grow together, to cultivate hope. »
In the traditional Sunday blessing, he offered prayers for doctors, nurses and health care workers « who are not always helped to work in inadequate conditions, at times the victims of aggression. Their mission is not easy and must be supported and respected. »
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
