Pope Francis visits Roman prison after delegating some Holy Week duties

ROME and LONDON — Pope Francis arrived on Thursday to meet with inmates at a prison in Rome amid the Catholic Holy Week, making a public appearance for one of the first times since his lengthy hospital stay.

The pontiff, 88, made the short drive from the Vatican to Regina Coeli prison to greet about 70 inmates, the Vatican said.

Francis visited the same Roman prison on Holy Thursday in 2018 to celebrate the mass “In Coena Domini” — or The Lord’s Supper — with the traditional rite of washing feet to commemorate what Jesus did to his disciples at the Last Supper.

“Every year l like to do what Jesus did on Holy Thursday, the washing of the feet, in a prison,” the pope told the attendees, according to a statement from the Vatican. “This year I cannot do it but i wanted to be close to you. I pray for you and all your families.”

The pope met individually with each of the 70 prisoners, the Vatican said.

Francis has remained mostly out of public view since his release in March from Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he’d spent more than five weeks after being diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.

Francis delegated to two cardinals his role in presiding over this weekend’s Easter masses, The Vatican Press Office said on Wednesday.

Saturday’s Easter Vigil mass will be overseen by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, and Sunday’s Easter mass will be overseen by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, emeritusvicar general for Vatican City, the office said.

Francis also on Wednesday met at the Vatican with medical staff from Gemelli, thanking them for his treatment. Francis appeared in a wheelchair, according to photos released by the Vatican.

“Thank you, and thank you for all you have done. Thank you for being so strong,” he said. “When women are in charge, things work. Thank you, and thank you all. I pray for you and please do it for me. Thank you. And thank you for your service in the hospital, it is very good. Thank you. Keep going like this.”

ABC News’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.