Pope Francis spent busy final day celebrating Easter and meeting JD Vance

Pope Francis had a busy final day celebrating Easter Sunday, greeting crowds in St Peter’s Square and meeting US vice president JD Vance.

He emerged from his convalescence on Sunday morning to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City, treating them to a surprise popemobile drive through the piazza.

The 88-year-old stopped occasionally to bless babies taken up to him, and said: “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter”.

The pontiff had delegated the celebration of the Easter mass to another cardinal but after it ended, he appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes as the Urbi et Orbi blessing was imparted.

On his way to the basilica, Francis briefly met Mr Vance, who was spending Easter in Rome with his family.

The Pope received Mr Vance in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he lived and offered the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Mr Vance’s three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.

Francis had only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican on March 23, after a 38-day hospital stay after developing double pneumonia.

He missed the traditional Good Friday and Holy Saturday services as part of the Easter liturgy.

Paying tribute to the Pope, Mr Vance said he was “obviously very ill” on his final day.

“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis,” Mr Vance posted to X.

“My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.

“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill.”

Mr Vance said he will “always remember” the pontiff for a “beautiful” homily he gave after the outbreak of Covid-19 in which Francis called for listeners to “embrace hope”.