From Associated Press:
Pope Francis made a brief appearance on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd as he continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.
“Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” Francis said, his voice sounding stronger than it has since his hospitalization. “Viva il Papa!” (Long live the Pope), the crowd responded. The 88-year-old Pope didn’t celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza, delegating it to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica. But after the Mass ended, Francis appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes. The thousands of people below erupted in cheers as a military band kicked off rounds of the Holy See and Italian anthems.