ROME – Pope Francis Sunday made his first public appearance since leaving the hospital two weeks ago, coming into St. Peter’s Square at the close of a Mass for the Jubilee of the Sick and Healthcare Workers.
The pope came out in his wheelchair and was receiving oxygen through nasal tubes, but still managed to speak, telling faithful in a breathless and weak-sounding voice, “Happy Sunday to everyone, thank you so much!” The pope was accompanied by his personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti.
Francis came out for the final blessing of an April 6 Mass celebrated by Italian Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and responsible for organizing the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, on the occasion of the Jubilee for the Sick and Healthcare Workers.
