Thousands of Catholic worshippers gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, hoping to witness Pope Francis deliver his traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing despite concerns over his frail health, which has kept him from most Holy Week events.
The 88-year-old pontiff, recovering from a severe bout of pneumonia, has made only limited public appearances in recent weeks, and it remained unclear whether he would be able to deliver the Easter message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Vatican press office said the pope hoped to attend the celebration but emphasized that his participation would depend on his condition. Nonetheless, the faithful assembled under hazy skies in a tulip-adorned St. Peter’s Square, holding onto hope for a glimpse of the Holy Father.
“Of course we hope to see the pope, but if he’s still suffering, we’ll see his representative,” one woman told AFP.
Among the crowd was Rajesh Kumar, a 40-year-old tourist from India, who said he had not realized his holiday coincided with Easter. “After coming here we realised there is a festival going on, the pope is going to give a speech, so we just entered and we are ready for it,” he said.
Pope Francis was discharged from hospital on March 23 after five weeks of treatment for pneumonia, which he later revealed had nearly claimed his life. His breathing has improved, and he has recently appeared in public without the oxygen cannula, though his voice remains weak.
This Holy Week marks the first time since his papacy began in 2013 that Francis has missed most Easter-related events. He did not participate in the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday or Saturday’s Easter Vigil, delegating duties to senior cardinals. Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the solemn vigil service in his place.
The pope did make a brief appearance inside the basilica on Saturday, where he prayed and handed out candies to children. Earlier in the week, Francis visited a jail in Rome but did not perform the traditional foot-washing ritual.
Organizers expect larger-than-usual crowds this Easter due to the Jubilee Year, a special Catholic observance held once every 25 years that draws thousands of pilgrims to the Eternal City.
The weekend was also marked by the visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who held meetings on Saturday with top Vatican officials including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States. The visit follows a recent diplomatic row between the Vatican and the administration of President Donald Trump over its immigration policies. It remains unclear whether Vance was scheduled to attend Sunday’s Mass or meet with the pope.
This year’s Easter celebration is also notable for coinciding with the Orthodox Easter, a rare occurrence due to differing calendars used by the Christian denominations.
Reflecting on the significance of the holy period, the pope said in response to a journalist’s question, “I am living it as best I can.”
