Pope Francis makes first public appearance since leaving hospital
LONDON -- Pope Francis on Sunday made his first public appearance since being discharged from hospital two weeks ago.
Francis, 88, entered St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in a wheelchair to briefly greet crowds that were gathered to mark the Jubilee of the Sick and the World of Healthcare. The pope was wearing oxygen nasal cannulas.
"Happy Sunday to everyone," Francis said to those attending the mass, as quoted by the Italian ANSA news agency. "Happy Sunday to everyone," he repeated. "Thank you very much."
In a statement, the Vatican press office said Francis "joined the Jubilee pilgrimage." It added, "Before greeting the pilgrims and faithful in the square, to whom he addressed his thanks, he received the sacrament of reconciliation in St. Peter's Basilica, gathered in prayer and passed through the Holy Door."
The Vatican press office also released the Pope's Angelus message. "Dearest ones, as during my hospitalization, even now in my convalescence I feel the 'finger of God' and experience his caring caress," the pope's message read.
"Let us continue to pray for peace: in the tormented Ukraine, hit by attacks that cause many civilian victims, including many children," it continued.
"And the same thing happens in Gaza, where people are reduced to living in unimaginable conditions, without a roof, without food, without clean water. Let the weapons fall silent and dialogue resume; let all the hostages be freed and the population be helped."
"Let us pray for peace throughout the Middle East; in Sudan and South Sudan; in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Myanmar, also severely tested by the earthquake; and in Haiti, where violence is raging, which a few days ago killed two nuns," Francis' message read.
The pope was discharged from hospital on March 23 after being treated for double pneumonia.
ABC News' Somayeh Malekian and Phoebe Natanson contributed to this report.
