Pope Francis shocked the crowds on Sunday by surprising them with a visit to St. Peter’s Square during a special Jubilee Mass. It was his first outing in public at the Vatican since he left the hospital two weeks earlier after a potentially fatal case of pneumonia.
“I have seen the pope!” shouted some as they stood up and applauded without warning. The image of the pope appeared on the screen. It showed him walking down the ramp and through the Holy Door.
“Good Sunday to everyone,’’ Francis said, speaking into a microphone, which he tapped to make sure it was working on a second attempt. “Thank you very much.”
After a five-week hospitalization, the voice of Pope Francis was louder when he addressed well-wishers on the 23rd of March in front of Gemelli Hospital.
According to the Vatican, he was wearing a nasal tube for additional oxygen. His doctor said that this was not caused by his illness but rather a trauma that he had suffered before his hospitalization on February 14th.
The pontiff was able to meet some of those who had helped with the service. The pontiff left the square near the Holy Door, where he was greeted by many who kissed and bowed his hands.
Francis currently undergoes physical, respiratory, and speech therapy, as well as treatment for persistent lung infections.
Both in the Sunday blessing read by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Holy Year’s organizer, and the homily that Archbishop Fisichella read to the congregation. It is estimated that 30 million people will attend the Holy Year.
In the homily Fisichella delivered, the pope spoke to the sick and said, “In this time of my life, I share many experiences: infirmity, weakness, dependence on others for different things, and needing support.”
We are taught daily to love ourselves and others without rejecting or demanding. This is done without regret or despair. We give thanks to God and our brothers and sisters for the blessings we’ve received and trust in the future.
“Unfortunately, certain mentalities today do this,” he warned. We should not ignore pain in our lives but rather use it to cultivate hope and grow together.
In his Sunday blessing, he prayed for doctors, nurses, and other health care workers, who “do not always receive support in their work” and are sometimes victims of aggression. They need to be supported and respected because they are not always supported.
The sudden appearance of the pope moved the faithful.
Pasquale Citrono from Trapani, Sicily, said, “It was beautiful and completely unexpected. I never expected to see the Pope. He gave us an amazing gift. “
Linda Elezi, from Ancona along the Adriatic Coast, said she was touched by the “surprise of the Pope”.
She replied, “We pray for him every day, and he prays for us, as well as for the peace in the world. This is the message that we send today to bring peace to the entire world. “