Pope Francis, still on the mend from a serious bout of double pneumonia, made a surprise visit to Rome’s Regina Coeli prison on Holy Thursday to offer prayers and encouragement to inmates ahead of Easter.
Now 88, the pontiff has slowly resumed public duties following his most significant health scare in over a decade as head of the Catholic Church. On Thursday afternoon, he left the Vatican for the short drive to the overcrowded men’s prison located in the Trastevere district.
Welcomed with applause from guards and staff, Pope Francis entered the prison in a wheelchair just after 3 p.m. local time. During the half-hour visit, he met with about 70 inmates, telling them, “I wanted to be close to you. I pray for you and your families,” according to a Vatican statement.
This visit continues Francis’ tradition of connecting with marginalized communities, particularly on Holy Thursday, the day commemorating Jesus’ Last Supper. Regina Coeli, a former 17th-century monastery, currently holds around 1,100 inmates—almost double its intended capacity of 628.
The Pope, who returned to the Vatican on March 23, has been advised to rest for two months. However, he’s made several brief public appearances, each time without the aid of oxygen. When asked how he plans to celebrate Easter, he simply smiled and said, “As I can.”
Francis last visited Regina Coeli in 2018.