Pope Francis greets Easter crowd in popemobile after health recovery

Pope Francis made a highly anticipated public appearance on Easter Sunday, surprising and delighting thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square with a ride through the piazza in his popemobile as he continues to recover from double pneumonia. Though visibly frail and speaking in a weak voice, the 88-year-old pontiff offered Easter greetings from the basilica’s balcony and blessed babies, drawing cheers and emotional responses from the crowd. While he did not preside over the Easter Mass due to his ongoing recovery, he delegated the ceremony and the reading of the traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' benediction to close collaborators. In his address, Francis emphasized freedom of thought, religion, and expression, condemned rising anti-Semitism, and expressed concern over global conflicts, including the situation in Gaza. He also briefly met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was visiting Rome for Easter. Francis’s appearance marked his first popemobile outing since his hospitalization in February, and he is expected to continue resting while undergoing daily physiotherapy.