Egypt Daily News – Pope Francis, who is still recovering from a severe case of pneumonia, appeared today, Sunday (April 20, 2025), on the balcony of St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican to wish a “Happy Easter” to the thousands of believers gathered to celebrate the most important holiday in the Christian calendar.
Earlier, the Pope toured St. Peter’s Square in his car, where thousands of worshippers had gathered to celebrate Easter, shortly after one of his aides read his speech in which he called for breaking down “the barriers that create divisions.”
Just one month after being discharged from the hospital, the 88-year-old Pope appeared in a wheelchair, without oxygen tubes, to give his traditional blessing to the city and the world, which was broadcast by media outlets around the globe.
There had been doubts about the Pope’s participation, as the Holy See’s press office had previously stated that he was eager to attend, though it did not confirm it, noting that it would depend on his health and the weather.
While still weak and struggling to speak despite improved breathing, the Pope delegated one of his aides to read the text of his message, which broadly addressed global conflicts.
The Pope condemned the “shameful and tragic situation” in the Gaza Strip and warned against “the rise of antisemitism spreading across the world.” He said, “I call on the warring parties to cease fire, release the hostages, and deliver aid to the starving people who yearn for a peaceful future.”
He added, “In the face of the cruelty of conflicts that harm unarmed civilians, attack schools, hospitals, and humanitarian workers, we must not allow ourselves to forget that the targets are not mere objectives, but people with souls and dignity.” Pope Francis also called for respect for “freedom of thought and expression,” and urged “all political leaders around the world not to succumb to the logic of fear that causes us to shut ourselves off.”
He said, “How much contempt we sometimes feel toward the weak, the marginalized, and migrants,” calling for breaking down the “barriers that create divisions.”
Shortly before that, Pope Francis had received U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in a “private meeting” that lasted “several minutes” at his residence in Santa Marta in the Vatican, following two months of diplomatic tensions stemming from the Pope’s criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
For the first time since his election in 2013, the Pope, who represents 1.4 billion Catholics, was absent from most Holy Week events, including the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on Friday and the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening, both of which were delegated to cardinals.
However, he made a brief appearance on Saturday at St. Peter’s Cathedral to pray before an icon of the Virgin Mary, greet worshippers, and distribute sweets to children.
Before being hospitalized for five weeks for pneumonia that nearly cost him his life, the Pope had intensified his criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, describing the humanitarian situation in the enclave in January as “extremely serious and shameful.”
