‘He continues to be a maverick’: Francis keeps pushing the limits of papacy

LOrena Araujo Piñeiro was putting the finishing touches to the restoration of the 17th-Century Tomb of Pope Urban VIII, A Dark Bronze and Gold Monument in St. Peter’s Basilica, when she noticed a man wearing a striped poncho -like top, black Trousers and no shoes, being pushed in a whist, being pushed in a whist. Towards Her.

“It was around noon and the basilica was practically empty, “said Piñeiro, a restorer. It was as if he’d just got out of bed. ”

The man in the wheelchair was Pope Franciswho had come by to thank Piñeiro and her colleague, Michela Malfanti, for their work.

It was the second time in a few days that the pontiff, Who Almost Died In February during a supreme bolt of pneumonia, made a surprise public appearance since being discharged from Hospital on March 23, defying doctors’ orders to rest for at least two months. On the first occasion he appeared at Sunday Mass in St Peter’s Square. He also privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla during their state visit to italy.

Francis delegated cardinals to lead holy week liturgies, although he maintained the maundy Thursday tradition of visiting inmates at Rome’s Regina Coeli Prison, and is expected to make another appearance during easter Sunday mass.

But the jaunt to the basilica from his home next door in Casa Santa Martha was daring. Not only was he without his traditional papal robes – something that irked the more conservative faction of the Catholic Church – but Francis, who is using a nasal cannula to help him breathe, readily shook hands with both restorers, as well as a child was in the basilica.

“We hesitated to approach him as we thought he might have felt a little ashamed because he was not officially dressed, “said Piñeiro.” But he did not care. He Saemed Like A Very Happy, Curious Person. ”

The Vatican’s Spokesperson said the next day that the outings were proof that the pope’s health is improving.

But there are possibly other motives at play. “If you think back to when he was elected pope and decided to forget the traditional vestments and to live in Casa Santa Marta, he came in as a maverick, “said Christopher White, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter. Continues to be a maverick. ”

White believes the reasons are twofold: “One, he really does it believes that being with people is the best medicine. As a pastor, he has a duty to be out and public-facing,” he said. “But I also think there’s a political calculation. He’s politically astute and would have read the papers and all the endless speculation about his health, possible resignation and conclave. I think he’s try to channel pretty concrete ways of saying ‘I here, and I in Charge’.”

Pope Francis has pushed the limits throughout his papacy, for example going to Iraq in 2021 despite being strongly advised against it because Covid-19 was still raging and the security risks were high. He revealed in his autobiography, hope, published in January, that he escaped A double suicide bombing during the trip after the attempts on his life were foiled by British Intelligence and Iraqi Police.

He embarked on more than 40 overseas trips and kept up a busy schedule before his hospitalization.

Meanwhile, The Catholic Church is in the Midst of a Jubilee Yearwith millions of Pilgrims visiting Rome. Another Significant Event – The Canonisation of Carlo AcutisThe Church’s First Millennial Saint – Takes Place on April 27.

“He keeps pushing the limits to see how much he can do, “said Robert Mickens, a Vatican commentator. Easter is a big holiday with lots of pilgrims expecting to see him, so he’s thinking, ‘let’s just do it’. “

Javier Martínez-Brocal, Vatican Correspondent for the Spanish Newspaper ABC, and Author of The Book Conclave: The rules for electing the next pope, said that after Francis’s Near-Death Experience, the Pope Just Wanted to “Live in the Present”.

“He probably feels strong and thinks it’s useless to be locked up indoors,” he said. “So he thinks these are reasonable risks to take. He wants to show that he’s still present, and to see how far he can push it.”