Pope Francis‘s last public appearance came just a day before his death, as he made an unexpected tour of St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday — a farewell that now stands as the closing chapter of his papacy.
The 88-year-old pope, who had just been discharged from hospital after a five-week fight with a serious infection and twice pneumonia, had been widely expected to omit people events during the Holy Week. But to the wonder and delight of thousands gathered in Vatican City, Francis appeared in his popemobile following the standard “Urbi et Orbi” gift from the rooftop of St Peter’s Basilica.
“Brothers and daughters, Content Easter! ” he said, offering a small but heartfelt greeting to the audience, many of whom were moved to tears.
Though obviously weak and lethargic, Francis waved softly to the cheering honest as he rode through the circle, his presence only lifting souls on the most important day of the Christian liturgical timeline.
He had delegated the Easter Mass to the retired acolyte of St Peter’s Basilica but made the effort to love the crowd physically, a movement now seen as a last act of connection with the people he served for over a decade.
The moment was especially powerful given his recent hospitalisation and the uncertainty around his health. Just weeks earlier, he had come close to death from a respiratory crisis.
Released on March 23, his appearance on March 31 offered hope of recovery– and left a lasting memory for millions.
Elsewhere in the world, Easter celebrations carried on under different shadows. In southern Lebanon, for example, Mass was held amid the rubble of the bombed St George Melkite Catholic Church– a symbol of both suffering and resilience.
