Pope Francis made a rare public appearance on Easter Sunday as he continues to recover from a life-threatening illness that kept him hospitalized for more than a month earlier this year.
The 88-year-old prelate appeared on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican for the reading of a blessing he'd written. He also toured through St. Peter's Square in his modified Mercedes-Benz G-Class known as the popemobile, greeting the crowds of worshippers who had gathered for Easter mass.
"The resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope," Francis wrote in his Urbi et Orbi message, which translates as "to the city and to the world," the text of which was read aloud by Archbishop Diego Ravelli.
The pope added: "On this day, 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!"
Francis's public appearance Sunday came less than a month after he was discharged from Rome's Gemelli hospital following a lengthy illness, which included a severe respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia. He had entered the hospital five weeks earlier on Feb. 14 with a case of bronchitis.
Doctors who sent the pope home in late March said he would require two months of convalescence, including rest and additional medical treatment.
On Sunday, Francis did not preside over the Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square, instead delegating it to Italian Cardinal Angelo Comastri.
Still, Comastri read a homily prepared by Francis for the service, in which the pope urged believers to "search for Jesus" in their daily lives. "He, in fact, has risen from the dead and therefore is no longer in the tomb," Francis wrote. "This is the message of Easter: we must look for him elsewhere. Christ is risen, he is alive!"
Francis, in his Urbi et Orbi message, also renewed his call for peace in places across the world experiencing violent conflicts and humanitarian crises, including Israel and Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Ukraine.
The pope also met briefly Sunday morning with Vice President JD Vance, who was in Italy over the weekend meeting with Italian officials and celebrating Easter with his family. Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019.
The Holy See Press Office said the pair exchanged Easter greetings in a private meeting that lasted for a few minutes.
In February, Pope Francis warned that the Trump administration's effort to dramatically ramp up deportations was driving a "major crisis." The pope also appeared to criticize Vance directly for claiming that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.
In response, Vance said he would continue to defend his views. On Sunday, Vance told the Pope: "I know you have not been feeling great, but it's good to see you in better health." He added: "I pray for you every day."
On Thursday, Francis met with about 70 inmates at Rome's Regina Coeli prison, greeting them personally and giving out Rosaries and pocket-sized Gospels, according to the Vatican.
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