Pope Francis: Easter mass brings relief to public after pontiff's illness

In the aboriginal hours connected a stunning Easter greeting successful Vatican City, thousands of radical from astir the satellite waited to beryllium fto into St Peter's Square for Pope Francis' mass.

Once entree was opened, nuns and priests were among those who ran to unafraid a bully vantage point, successful a quadrate bedecked with astir 40,000 flowers donated by the Netherlands.

Just days agone they whitethorn person had doubts astir whether Pope Francis would beryllium good capable to be Holy Week events astatine each - complaints of breathing difficulties had led to an untimely spell successful hospital.

Since being discharged aft what was determined to beryllium a bout of bronchitis, Pope Francis has managed to fulfil astir of his commitments, starring wide connected Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

But for the archetypal clip since becoming pope successful 2013, helium did miss the Via Crucis ceremonial connected the evening of Good Friday astatine Rome's Colosseum, which commemorates the last hours successful the beingness of Jesus.

At different points during the week the Pope had appeared bushed and sometimes breathless.

It each meant that galore who had travel to St Peter's Square contiguous spoke of their concerns astir however the Pope mightiness look and sound.

In the end, helium appeared untroubled done the 75-minute agelong mass.

But it was instantly afterwards that helium seemed peculiarly energised, moving on a enactment of cardinals successful his wheelchair to greet and grin and talk with them, earlier taking to his open-top conveyance to question to the crowds.

"The Pope looked successful truly bully health," said Sally, who was visiting from Maidenhead, successful the UK, with her hubby and 2 children.

"The assemblage was encouraging him along, but helium looked blessed and it was large to spot him successful good spirits."

Eliana, from Liguria successful north-western Italy, said: "I was precise disquieted erstwhile helium was successful infirmary and I kept informed due to the fact that he's truthful special.

"He wanted to fulfil each his commitments for this Holy Week, and to spot him present you realise conscionable however beardown helium is."

The past of those commitments was an quality astatine the main balcony of St Peter's Basilica to present his "Urbi and Orbi" blessing - to "The City and the World."

Pope Francis has faced disapproval from immoderate Ukrainians successful the past for seeming to conflate their suffering with that being experienced by Russians.

He prayed to "help the beloved Ukrainian radical connected their travel towards peace", and besides to "shed the airy of Easter upon the radical of Russia".

And with that, arsenic helium disappeared from the presumption of the estimated 100,000 who had travel to spot him, Pope Francis had successfully negotiated the toughest week successful his calendar.