The Pope reappears: "Peace is not possible without disarmament"

RomePope Francis briefly reappeared before the faithful this Sunday to impart his blessing. urbi et orbi, in Rome and around the world. From the central gallery of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, in front of more than 35,000 people, the Pontiff delivered his blessing in a whisper and wished everyone a happy Easter.

In his Easter message, read in Italian by Monsignor Diego Ravelli, master of papal liturgical celebrations, Francis recalled the "suffering of Christians in Palestine and Israel" and condemned the "growing climate of anti-Semitism" and "the dramatic and undignified crisis. "I appeal to the warring parties: ceasefire, release the hostages, and offer aid to the people who are hungry and who long for a future of peace."

In the text, Francis warned that "peace is also not possible without true disarmament." "The need of each people to provide for its own defense cannot be transformed into a general race for rearmament," he assured.

The Pontiff He left the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on March 23., after 38 days in the hospital due to a lung condition. Although he was still convalescing from the severe pneumonia that forced him to remain hospitalized for five weeks, the Pontiff wanted to be present during the blessing at the end of Easter Sunday Mass, the central rite that concludes the Christian Easter, and during which he normally delivers a lengthy speech reflecting on his condition. The medical team that treated him recommended two months of rest. This forced the Vatican to rethink the entire organization of Holy Week celebrations, one of the busiest periods in the Pontiff's schedule.

Francis has delegated the demanding liturgical celebrations to selected cardinals, such as Angelo Comastri, who officiated at the Easter Sunday Mass. On Friday night, he decided not to attend the traditional Way of the Cross, which is performed every Good Friday at Rome's Colosseum, in order to avoid risking his delicate health, but the Vatican confirmed that he had written the meditations read during the procession.

On Holy Thursday, however, he decided to continue his visit to a Roman prison, although he did not perform the traditional rite of washing the prisoners' feet and settled for greeting a group of about 70 inmates at Regina Coelli prison in Rome's Trastevere neighborhood. The visit, which was confirmed by the Vatican a few minutes beforehand, lasted only half an hour. Long enough for Francis, who was greeted with a standing ovation by the inmates, to become emotional and promise them that he would pray for them and their families. Upon leaving prison, the Pontiff briefly spoke to the journalists who were waiting for him, and when asked how he was experiencing these important days for the Catholic Church in his state, he replied: "I'm living it as best I can."

Although the Pontiff delegated the main celebrations to several cardinals, he surprised everyone by abandoning the almost complete rest recommended by doctors and appearing before the faithful. On April 6, two weeks after being discharged from the hospital, he made a surprise appearance in Sant Pere Square, in a wheelchair and with a nasal cannula to breathe more easily, although Vatican sources assure that he is increasingly less dependent on this therapy. He could also be seen briefly at the end of Palm Sunday Mass, where 20,000 faithful were present.

Recently, he surprised everyone by entering St. Peter's Basilica to pray dressed in dark trousers and without the traditional white cassock. The Holy See later explained that it was he who wanted to enter the church to pray at the tomb of Pius X. Last week he even left the Vatican to pray at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, near the Rome train station, where he has said he wants to be buried.

Although his clinical condition is still delicate and he has not fully recovered his voice, this week Francis held his first formal audience since returning to the Vatican, in a meeting with the medical staff of the Gemelli hospital that treated him. He also made an exception by privately receiving the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, Charles III and Camilla, at his residence, in the Casa Santa Marta, on their first state visit to Italy. A deference that he did not extend to the US Vice President, JD Vance, also visiting Rome to celebrate Easter and whose meeting he delegated to his number two, the Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin. Although this Sunday, before pronouncing theurbi et orbi briefly greeted Vance at his private residence.