Pope Francis has made a second surprise appearance in public this week, visiting Saint Peter's Basilica where pilgrims were visiting.
The Holy Father wasn't wearing his usual papal attire, dispensing with his usual white cassock and skullcap in favour of dark pants and a white shirt. He was bound to a wheelchair and also was wearing a nasal canula, through which he was receiving oxygen.
The Pope entered the Basilica and went straight to the Chair of Saint Peter, a symbol of the episcopal authority of history’s first pope. He then headed to the tomb of Saint Pius X and remained there in silence for a few minutes.
He then took the opportunity to greet several faithful, tourists and pilgrims in the basilica. Follow this, he returned to his residence at Saint Martha's House, where he is recovering.
It was the Pope's second surprise appearance within the last week. He had surprised many on Sunday by joining the conclusion of the Mass for the Jubilee for the Sick, greeting those who had assembled in Saint Peter's Square.
On Wednesday, the Holy Father had also met with King Charles and Queen Camilla in a private meeting.
“During the meeting, the Pope expressed his good wishes to Their Majesties on the occasion of their wedding anniversary and reciprocated His Majesty’s wishes a speedy recovery of his health,” the Vatican said.
The Pope hadn't been expected to make any public appearances for two months following his release from hospital on March 23, following a 38-day stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, after suffering with a life-threatening bout of double pneumonia.
At a press conference earlier in the week, director of the Holy See press office, Matteo Bruni, gave an update on the Pope's recovery.
He said Pope Francis receives high-level oxygen through the nasal tubes at night when he needs it, and reduced oxygen by day whenever he requires it. The remaining infection in his lungs is under control and in regression.
He also said the 88-year-old pope continues with the pharmacological, respiratory and physical therapies prescribed by his doctors when they discharged him from Gemelli Hospital on March 23. These therapies are producing visible improvements in the pope’s condition, as we saw on Sunday and as his regular blood tests confirm. Two nurses care for him around the clock.
Dr Sergio Alfieri, the head of the medical team that cared for Francis at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, also didn't rule out further surprise appearances from the Pontiff.