Pope Francis had a private meeting at the Vatican on Sunday morning with US Vice President J.D. Vance, according to a Vatican statement.
Vance, a Catholic who has clashed with the pope over the immigration policies of US President Donald Trump's administration, met with the pope at his Vatican residence to exchange Easter greetings, the statement said.
Easter was celebrated in the Vatican today, and Pope Francis watched the traditional "To the City and the World" (Urbi et Orbi) message from the balcony.
He is still recovering from severe inflammation of both lungs.
Pope Francis reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in an Easter message read by his aide.
In his Easter message, the pope described the situation in Gaza as “dramatic and deplorable.” He also called on the Palestinian militant group Hamas to release the remaining hostages and condemned what he called the “worrying” rise in anti-Semitism around the world.
"I express my closeness to the suffering... of all Israelis and Palestinians," the message said.
"I appeal to the warring parties: declare a ceasefire, release the hostages and help the starving people who are striving for a peaceful future," it continues.
In his place, Cardinal Angelo Comastri celebrated an open-air mass before thousands of people in St. Peter's Square and delivered a sermon prepared by the pope.
Francis later passed among the crowd in his popemobile.
St. Peter's Church was full of daffodils, tulips, and other flowers donated by the Netherlands.
The pope has appeared in public only a few times since returning to the Vatican on March 23 after being in hospital for 38 days.
He also skipped Mass on Good Friday and Holy Saturday before Easter, but was expected to appear today.
Easter is the most joyful holiday in the Christian calendar, when believers celebrate the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion.
This year, both Catholics and Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on the same day.
Easter is traditionally celebrated in the Vatican with an Easter Mass at which the traditional message "To the City and the World" (Urbi et Orbi) is delivered.
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