Vatican City (AP) – A healing Pope Francis greeted the crowd on St. Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday and wished more …
Vatican City (AP)-A recovering Pope Francis greeted the crowd on Palm Sunday on Palm Sunday and wanted more than 20,000 believer a “Good Palm Sunday, a good holy week” in another reassuring audience of his recovery of a life-threatening battle with double pneumonia.
Many in the crowd stuck his hand out to touch Francis’ hand or clothing while he was brought a wheelchair to the main altar, where he gave his short greeting in a microphone. Francis did not wear nose tubes for additional oxygen, as he had during a similar appearance last Sunday.
On his way back to St. Peter’s Basilica from where he had originated, Francis stopped blessing a rosary and offered candy to a boy who greeted him.
The 88-year-old Francis starts his fourth week of recovery, which is expected to last at least two months.
In the traditional Sunday blessing, the Pope thanked the believers for their prayers. “In this time of physical weakness they help me to feel the proximity, compassion and tenderness even more of God.” For the ninth week, including his five -week hospitalization from 14 February, the blessing was delivered as a text.
The pope prayed for those who suffer in the conflict in Sudan, which marks his second birthday on Tuesday, and for Lebanon, where the civil war started 50 years ago, as well as for peace in Ukraine, the Central East, Congo, Myanmar and South Sudan.
In a prepared homily read by a top Vatican -cardinal, Francis urged the believers to wear the cross “of those who suffer” to mark the beginning of the solemn holy week.
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice -dean of the College of Cardinals, led the festivals and led a Stoet Cardinals around the central obelisk of the Piazza with a beautifully braided palm reminded of the triumphantly entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem.
The first welcome contrasts with the suffering that follows, prior to his crucifixion, which Christians observe on Good Friday, followed by his resurrection, celebrated on Easter Sunday.
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