Pope Francis continues to surprise the world. Just halfway through his period of convalescence, he not only appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday to proclaim the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead and to give the Urbi et Orbi blessing—to the city of Rome (“urbi”) and to the world (“orbi”)—but he also drove among the crowd in his jeep.
Less than half an hour before he went to the balcony, Pope Francis had “a brief private meeting” with Vice President JD Vance at Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where the pope lives. According to the Vatican press office, “the meeting lasted a few minutes, and gave them the opportunity to exchange greetings on Easter day.”
His appearance on the balcony in his wheelchair just two minutes after midday sparked vigorous applause and shouts of “Viva il Papa” from the tens of thousands of Romans and pilgrims from many countries who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square from early morning.
His appearance today was remarkable, given that he is less than halfway through the “at least two months” of convalescence that his doctors had prescribed when they discharged him from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on March 23, four weeks ago today. The doctors made that decision after 38 days, during which they eliminated the infection in both lungs from double pneumonia and saved him from two life-threatening breathing crises.
During today’s public appearance, which lasted about 50 minutes, the pope did not have nasal oxygen tubes or otherwise use oxygen. This and his ability to ride in the jeep and greet pilgrims signal that his recovery is progressing very well.
Pope Francis surprised everyone by driving among cheering crowds on Via della Conciliazione on Easter Sunday pic.twitter.com/YDsIvqwSv7
— Gerard O'Connell (@gerryorome) April 20, 2025
“Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” he began, speaking in Italian, drawing another wave of applause from the crowd.
Over the past 12 years, Pope Francis himself has read his message to the world at Easter, but as he has not yet fully recovered his voice following his five weeks hospitalization, the message was read by the Italian bishop Diego Ravelli.
Francis’ voice may have been weak, but his message was powerfully strong. He not only proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus to a world where the majority do not believe in Christ; he also issued a resounding call for an end to the killing of children, women and men, especially in the Holy Land and Ukraine, as well as in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar.
He began his message by telling the world “Christ is risen!” and reminded his global audience that “Jesus is not in the tomb, he is alive!” Because of this, he said, “Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has triumphed over revenge.”
“Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end,” the pope said, “but it no longer has the upper hand.” In the passion and death of Jesus, he said, “God has taken upon himself all the evil in this world and in his infinite mercy has defeated it. He has uprooted the diabolical pride that poisons the human heart and wreaks violence and corruption on every side.”
Then referring to the world today, Pope Francis remarked, “What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of our world!” Moreover, he said that violence is also seen “often even within families, directed at women and children,” while “contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants!”
Referring to the vast migration in today’s world, the pope appealed to people in countries that receive migrants “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! For all of us are children of God!”
Pope Francis next cast his eyes on the countries where war is raging, starting with the land where Jesus was born, where he appealed to people “to renew our hope that peace is possible!”
He recalled that Catholics and Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on the same day this year in the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and prayed that “the light of peace may radiate” from there “throughout the Holy Land and the entire world.”
Pope Francis expressed his “closeness to the sufferings of Christians in Palestine and Israel” and “to all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people.” He expressed concern at “the growing climate of anti-Semitism throughout the world” which he described as “worrisome,” but said, “at the same time, I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation.”
Francis appealed to “the warring parties”—meaning Israel and Hamas—“to call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!” More than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza lack food, medicines and the basics of life.
Francis also called on believers to “pray for the Christian communities in Lebanon and in Syria” and urged “the whole Church to keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in its thoughts and prayers.”
He appealed for help for “the people of Yemen, who are experiencing one of the world’s most serious and prolonged humanitarian crises because of war,” and called on the international community “to find solutions through a constructive dialogue.”
As he has done every Sunday since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Francis today implored the risen Christ “to grant peace” to Ukraine, “devastated by war” and encouraged “all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace.”
He expressed the hope that “a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will soon be signed and implemented.” He likewise called for efforts “to promote harmony in the western Balkans” and “to reject dangerous and destabilizing actions.”
Turning to the African continent, Pope Francis asked the Risen Christ to “grant peace” to its peoples “who are victims of violence and conflict, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan and South Sudan.” He prayed also for “those suffering from tensions” in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region” and for “Christians who in many places are not able freely to profess their faith.”
The pope reminded governments that “there can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.” He reminded world leaders that “peace is not possible without true disarmament!” He added: “The requirement that every people provide for its own defence must not turn into a race to rearmament.”
Turning to Asia, Pope Francis called for assistance to “the people of Myanmar, plagued by long years of armed conflict, and the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Sagaing.” He prayed for the victims and their loved ones, and thanked all the generous volunteers carrying out relief operations. He welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire by various actors in the country as “a sign of hope for the whole of Myanmar.”
Turning “to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world,” Pope Francis appealed to them “not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development.” He told them: “These are the ‘weapons’ of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death!”
Well aware that international humanitarian law is being ignored in many conflicts, and especially in the Holy Land and Ukraine, Pope Francis said, “May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions.” He reminded those conducting the wars that “in the face of the cruelty of conflicts that involve defenceless civilians and attack schools, hospitals and humanitarian workers, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are struck, but persons, each possessed of a soul and human dignity.”
He concluded his message with a call “for the liberation of prisoners of war and political prisoners!” in this Jubilee Year.
Then, following tradition, the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, standing beside the pope on the balcony, announced that “Pope Francis grants a plenary indulgence in the form laid down by the Church to all the faithful present and to those who receive his blessing by radio, television and other means of communication.”
The cardinal concluded: “Let us ask Almighty God to grant the pope many years as leader of the Church, and peace and unity to the Church, throughout the world.”
Pope Francis then gave his blessing in Latin, and the crowd applauded warmly.
Then Pope Francis drove among the crowd in a jeep, accompanied by his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, and his private secretary, Father Juan Cruz Villalón, for almost half an hour.
This was the ending to a Holy Week where Pope Francis, because of his condition, had to delegate cardinals to lead the main ceremonies, but where he was nevertheless present throughout.
At the beginning of Holy Week, a source told me that Francis wanted “to be present” in some way at each of the main events of this central week in the Christian calendar.
He was present at the Palm Sunday celebration first through the homily that he had prepared for that Mass and which Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals, read.
Then, he came in person in his wheelchair at the end of the Mass to greet and bless tens of thousands of Romans and pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square.
On Holy Thursday, he paid a 30-minute visit to Rome’s Regina Coeli prison to convey his closeness to the inmates there. He could not wash their feet this year as he did in 2018, but he shook hands with 70 of them individually and also greeted prison staff.
On Good Friday, he could not preside at the Way of the Cross at Rome’s Colosseum. Nevertheless, he was present in the meditations he had prepared that were read at that event.
On Holy Saturday evening, his physical condition did not allow him to be present at the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica, but again he made his presence felt in two ways. First, he visited the basilica about an hour and a half before it began, prayed there and greeted some pilgrims from Pittsburgh and other parts of the world who happened to be present. His presence was felt at the vigil through the homily he had prepared for this solemn occasion, which Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, read at the Mass.
He made his presence felt even more powerfully on Easter Sunday with his appearance on the central balcony. By doing so, the 88-year-old Pope Francis showed the church and the world in an unequivocal manner that he is still the pope and the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, and that he intends to continue in this role for as long as God gives him life and strength.
