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(NewsNation) — Pope Francis spent his last days celebrating Holy Week, the 7 days starring up to Easter Sunday.
Francis, the 266th caput of the Catholic Church, died Monday, the Vatican confirmed. His decease came conscionable a time aft Easter and astir a period since his merchandise from a lengthy infirmary stay.
Despite wellness concerns, Francis made respective nationalist appearances implicit the vacation and called for peace arsenic helium commemorated the astir ineffable clip of the Christian calendar.
The pope opened Holy Week celebrations April 13 with an in-person quality successful St. Peter's Square. Francis, unaided by supplemental oxygen arsenic helium had been previously, wished much than 20,000 onlookers a “Happy Palm Sunday, Happy Holy Week."
Francis spent Holy Thursday visiting Rome's Regina Coeli prison, wherever helium met with astir 70 inmates. His wellness complications prevented him from washing the feet of 12 radical — a reenactment of Jesus Christ's acts to his apostles earlier his crucifixion.
He told the inmates helium wanted to beryllium with them, however, and “do what Jesus did connected Holy Thursday."
On Good Friday, Francis opted retired of attending an yearly procession astatine Rome's Colosseum, Reuters reported.
Pope Francis wears the miter during the solemnisation for the closing of the Holy Door connected Nov. 20, 2016. (Photo by Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
A nun attends a rosary supplication for Pope Francis successful St. Peter's Square astatine the Vatican connected March 10. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis waves arsenic helium arrives for his play wide assemblage successful the Paul VI Hall astatine the Vatican connected Feb. 12. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
Pope Francis meets with Vice President JD Vance and delegation during an assemblage astatine Casa Santa Marta connected April 20 successful Vatican City, Vatican.
Though Francis did not preside implicit the Easter Mass held successful St. Peter's Square piazza connected Sunday — it was delegated to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica — helium did marque a astonishment quality to bless believers.
Francis oversaw a Latin blessing from the basilica's loggia balcony earlier taking a crook astir the piazza successful his popemobile.
In a speech, work by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, maestro of liturgical ceremonies, Francis appealed for bid successful Gaza and Ukraine, arsenic good arsenic Congo and Myanmar. He besides advocated for mercy connected the "vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants."
"I entreaty to each those successful positions of governmental work successful our satellite not to output to the logic of fear, which lone leads to isolation from others, but alternatively to usage the resources disposable to assistance the needy, to combat hunger, and to promote initiatives that beforehand development," the code read.
As Francis wished the bustling assemblage a blessed Easter, helium was met with cheers of "Viva il papa!” (Long unrecorded the pope) and “Bravo!”
On Sunday, Francis besides met with Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert. The Vatican said the brushwood lasted conscionable a fewer minutes and was designed to let for an exchange of Easter greetings.
In the aftermath of the pope's passing, Vance shared condolences connected societal media for the "millions of Christians each implicit the satellite who loved him."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
