Pope Francis inspects Jubilee restoration works in second surprise outing

Pope Francis has made a surprise second appearance at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, arriving in a wheelchair as he did last Sunday during the Jubilee of the Sick and Healthcare Workers.

The pontiff went directly to the monumental Chair of St Peter, a symbol of the episcopal authority of history’s first pope. ‘The Pope passed through the Door of Prayer, then went to the Altar of the Chair, and finally to the tomb of St Pius X to pray,’ explained Msgr Valerio Di Palma, a canon of St Peter’s Basilica.

This relic, housed behind the basilica’s altar, is framed by an imposing gilded bronze baroque structure designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The Holy Father’s visit coincided with the recent restoration of this sculptural ensemble, carried out as part of the Jubilee of Hope, which also included the cleaning of St Peter’s baldachin, another of Bernini’s masterpieces.

Though the Pope’s visit was brief, the news of his presence in the Basilica quickly spread, and the faithful gathered to greet him. Several restorers working on projects currently undertaken by the Fabbrica di San Pietro—the institution responsible for the conservation and maintenance of St Peter’s Basilica—were able to shake the Pope’s hand.

This was Pope Francis’ second public appearance since his return to the Vatican on 23 March following a 38-day stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.

After taking a look at the work done on the chair, he paused to pray at the tomb of St Pius X, with whom Pope Francis has always expressed a deep spiritual bond.

After the visit, the Holy Father returned to his residence at St Martha’s House, where he continues his recovery.

Although it had initially been announced that he would not make public appearances or receive visitors during his convalescence, Pope Francis surprised everyone last Sunday by participating in the Jubile for the Sick.

On Wednesday, he received King Charles III of the United Kingdom and Queen Camilla in a private audience, despite the meeting having been previously canceled as a precaution.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Holy See Press Office stated: ‘Pope Francis met privately with Their Majesties, King Charles and Queen Camilla, this afternoon. In the course of the meeting, the Pope expressed his best wishes to Their Majesties on the occasion of their wedding anniversary and reciprocated His Majesty’s wishes for a speedy recovery of his health.’

The Pope’s best wishes were a reference to the King’s condition, following his hospitalisation at the end of March due to the side effects of treatment for cancer, which was diagnosed a year ago.