By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
Vatican City, Apr 10, 2025 / 15:00 pm
Pope Francis made a surprise second appearance Thursday at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, arriving in a wheelchair around 12:30 p.m. local time.
In videos posted on social media, Pope Francis is seen without his usual white cassock and skullcap, wearing dark pants and a white shirt covered with a striped poncho.
The pontiff went directly to the monumental Chair of St. Peter, a symbol of the episcopal authority of history’s first pope, according to Vatican News.
This relic, housed behind the basilica’s altar, is framed by an imposing gilded bronze baroque structure designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Completed in 1666 after more than a decade of work, it includes two angels holding the papal insignia: the keys and the three-tiered papal crown.
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.
This was Pope Francis’ second public appearance since his return to the Vatican on March 23 following a 38-day stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
After taking a look at the work done on the chair, he headed to the tomb of St. Peter.
