Pope Francis delivers Easter message after illness; met with JD Vance earlier

Vatican City [Vatican], April 20 (ANI): Pope Francis on Sunday delivered his Easter message from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to thousands of people gathered in Vatican Square.
The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was recently discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he spent five weeks receiving treatment for an infection that led to double pneumonia.
On Easter Sunday he was able to offer the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to the "City [of Rome] and to the World". Only the pope can offer this blessing which includes the offer of an indulgence, a remission for the effect of sins.
Ahead of his Easter Sunday appearance, the Pope had a brief private meeting with Vice President JD Vance.
"The meeting, which lasted a few minutes, provided an opportunity to exchange Easter greetings," said the Vatican in a statement.
Vance who has been visiting Italy with his family this weekend had posted on X earlier on Friday, "It was an honour to visit the Vatican during Holy Week, and a blessing to experience the beauty and reverence of the Good Friday liturgy at St Peter's Basilica."
According to media reports, including CNN, Pope Francis, who is from Argentina, appeared without the nasal cannula he had been using to receive oxygen.
Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest emeritus of Saint Peter's Basilica and Vicar General emeritus of Vatican City, led the liturgy in the Square and read the homily of Pope Francis prepared for the occasion as per Vatican News.
Pope Francis dedicated his Easter Urbi et Orbi message to calling for peace worldwide, for global disarmament and for the release of prisoners.
In a text of the Pope's Easter Sunday message released by the Vatican says that he spoke first of the Holy Land, "wounded by conflict", and home to an "endless outburst of violence".
He extended his closeness, in particular, to the people of Gaza and to the Christian community in the enclave where "the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation."
"I appeal once again," Pope Francis said, "for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, for the release of the hostages... and for access to humanitarian aid." (ANI)