Pope Francis visits Rome prison during Holy Week

Pope Francis spent Holy Thursday visiting those serving clip successful a Rome prison.

Despite recovering from a bout of pneumonia, Francis met with dozens of inmates astatine Regina Coeli situation arsenic helium kept an Easter play assignment among the little fortunate. 

Francis offered words of encouragement and talented inmates with a Rosary and pocket-sized Gospel, according to Vatican News.

"I person ever liked coming to situation connected Holy Thursday to bash the washing of the feet similar Jesus," the pontiff said. "This year, I cannot bash it, but I privation to beryllium adjacent to you. I commune for you and your families."

POPE FRANCIS MAKES APPEARANCE AFTER PALM SUNDAY MASS AT THE VATICAN

Pope Francis talks to journalists arsenic helium leaves astatine the extremity of his sojourn to the Regina Coeli penitentiary successful Rome connected Holy Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Andrew Medichini)

Francis' sojourn lasted astir fractional an hour.

"Every clip I participate a spot similar this, I inquire myself: Why them and not me?" Francis said to journalists extracurricular the prison. 

POPE FRANCIS DENOUNCES WAR IN SUDAN, SUGGESTS LIVING LENT 'AS A TIME OF HEALING'

Pope Francis visited a Rome situation connected April 17, 2025. (Andrew Medichini)

The information that the 88-year-old pope kept the appointment, portion nether doctors’ orders to instrumentality it casual and debar crowds, was a wide motion of the value helium places connected situation ministry and the request for priests to service those who are astir connected the margins. That is each the much existent during the 2025 Holy Year, which some opened and volition adjacent with peculiar papal events for situation inmates.

Francis is expected to marque astatine slightest immoderate different Easter-time appearances implicit the coming days, adjacent arsenic cardinals volition preside successful his spot during Holy Week's engaged events.

Security item escorts Pope Francis arsenic helium visits a Rome situation connected Holy Thursday.  (Andrew Medichini)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

On Sunday, Francis wished a "Happy Palm Sunday and Happy Holy Week" to the faithful gathered successful Saint Peter's Square pursuing the decision of a wide presided implicit by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri connected his behalf. It was his archetypal nationalist quality since being discharged from a hospital, wherever helium was not receiving oxygen via a tiny hose nether his nose.

Fox News Courtney Walsh and The Associated Press contributed to this report.