AP PHOTOS: The last images of Pope Francis, taken at Easter services the day before he died
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. Francis died Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday. He appeared very frail and had delegated the celebration of the Easter Mass to another cardinal. Though his voice was weak, he blessed a crowd of faithful from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter,” he said from the same loggia where Jorge Mario Bergoglio was introduced to the world on March 13, 2013 as the 266th pope.
Francis also made a surprise ride in the square in his popemobile, drawing wild cheers and applause.
Beforehand, he met briefly with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis tours the crowd at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. Francis died Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis tours the crowd at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. Francis died Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis bestows the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing from the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis bestows the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing from the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Faithful attend the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Faithful attend the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis, left, appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis, left, appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis tours the crowd at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. Francis died Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis tours the crowd at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. Francis died Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis tours St. Peter’s Square in his popemobile after bestowing the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis tours St. Peter’s Square in his popemobile after bestowing the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis, left, sips water as he appears at the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis, left, sips water as he appears at the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis bestows the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing from the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis bestows the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing from the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
