Pope Francis appears on Easter Sunday to deliver blessing

Belfast Telegraph - 20/04
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 he 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 admission to hospital.

Francis did not celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza, delegating it to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica.

But after the Mass ended, Francis appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance.

The thousands of people below erupted in cheers as a military band kicked off a round of the Holy See and Italian anthem.

Francis waved from the balcony and then asked an aide to read his speech.

On his way to the basilica, Francis briefly met US vice president JD Vance, who was spending Easter in Rome with his family.

Pope Francis, left, appears to bestow the Urbi et Orbi blessing (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

St Peter’s was awash with in daffodils, tulips and other flowers donated by The Netherlands on a chilly but sunny spring morning.

Francis has only appeared in public a handful of times since re...
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