Vatican City: In a rare and informal appearance, Pope Francis made an unexpected visit to St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, dressed not in his traditional papal white robes, but in black pants—a departure from customary Vatican protocol. The visit came as the 88-year-old pontiff continues a two-month period of rest following a serious bout of double pneumonia.
A video, verified by Reuters, captured the pope being wheeled through the basilica. He wore a striped blanket around his chest and black trousers, with a nasal cannula delivering supplemental oxygen. Despite his condition, Pope Francis smiled and waved to visitors as his attendants guided his wheelchair through the sacred space.
The authenticity and timing of the footage were confirmed by Reuters through metadata analysis and by the individual who originally shared the clip.
“We were visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and saw some guards passing by and making way, so we went to see what it was, and it was the pope,” said Luiz Gil, who recorded the video. “Few people noticed, it was very quick, but he stopped to talk to a family with a baby.”
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Francis is currently recuperating within Vatican grounds after being discharged from hospital on March 23, where he had been treated for more than a month due to pneumonia complications—the most serious health episode of his 12-year pontificate. Since then, he has maintained a low profile, having made just one prior public appearance, on April 6, when he briefly greeted crowds in St. Peter’s Square.
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While the pope is rarely seen in civilian clothing, he has occasionally chosen simpler attire during overseas trips or informal encounters. This latest appearance, however, underscores both his resilience and his ongoing connection with the public, even amid health challenges.
