Pope Francis, who is taking two months off to recover from double pneumonia, paid an unscheduled visit to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Thursday, clad in black trousers rather than his customary, traditional white papal outfit. Reuters validated the date of the video recording using its metadata, which was confirmed by the person who provided it.
“We happened upon St. Peter’s Basilica and saw a few security personnel passing by and giving way, so we went to see what it was, and it was the Pope,” said Luiz Gil, the gentleman who recorded the footage. “Few people noticed, it was very quick, but he stopped to talk to a family with a baby.
Francis is recovering at the Vatican following a 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia, the most serious health crisis of his 12-year pontificate.
He has only made one other public appearance since his release on March 23, when he briefly greeted attendees at an event in St. Peter’s Square on April 6. According to the footage, the Pope was waving at guests entering the basilica while attendants pushed his wheelchair. He was wearing a thin nasal hose to obtain supplemental oxygen.
The Pope rarely makes public appearances in civilian attire rather than his usual papal regalia, but he has dressed casually on various travels overseas.
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