Pope Francis made a short visit and without warning on Saturday to the Basilica of San Pedro to pray before the Easter vigil tonight and greet some of the faithful present.
The 88 -year -old pontiff, in a wheelchair, arrived around 6 pm local time accompanied by his nurse and stayed for about a quarter of an hour, stopping to pray in the San Pedro tomb, the Italian Press Service ANSA reported.
The Pope greeted the attendees before returning to his residence.
On this video of a video, Pope Francis greeting people in the Basilica of San Pedro, on April 19, 2025.
Deborah Tomlinson/Inside the Vatican
The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis “went to the Basilica of San Pedro for a time of prayer, to be close to the faithful who will celebrate the vigil of the sacred night of Easter in the next few hours,” said a statement.
This is the last public appearance of the Pope during Holy Week. On Thursday, he met with about 70 inmates in a prison in Rome.
“Every year I like to do what Jesus did on Holy Thursday, the washing of the feet, in a prison,” the Pope told attendees, according to a Vatican statement. “This year I can’t do it, but I wanted to be close to you. I pray for you and all your families.”
The Pontiff also appeared at a Mass in the Plaza de San Pedro on Palm Sunday, greeting a multitude of thousands gathered for the service.
Francis has remained mostly out of view since its launch in March from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where it had spent more than five weeks after being diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.
Francis delegated two cardinals his role in presiding over Easter masses this weekend, the Vatican press office said Wednesday.
