'Pray for me... and until next time': Ailing Pope Francis, 87, makes Easter Monday speech from Vatican window as he renews plea for peace

Pope Francis has reiterated his call for peace across the world, as he asked people to pray for him amid swirling rumours of his declining health. 

The Pontifex spoke to believers gathered in Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican today for an Easter Monday address. 

The ailing 87-year-old leader of the Catholic Church said: 'May the peace of Christ also come to those places where he is most in need, to people torn by war, by hunger, by all forms of oppression.' 

It comes a day after he explicitly called for an end to the brutal war between Israel and Hamas, after pulling out of a Good Friday procession in Rome for health reasons.

Francis, having arrived in a wheelchair, told churchgoers gathered for mass at 10am yesterday: 'I appeal once again that access to humanitarian aid be ensured to Gaza, and call once more for the prompt release of the hostages seized on October 7 and for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip.'

The Pontifex spoke to believers gathered in Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican today for an Easter Monday address.

The ailing 87-year-old leader of the Catholic Church said: 'May the peace of Christ also come to those places where he is most in need, to people torn by war, by hunger, by all forms of oppression'

It comes a day after he explicitly called for an end to the brutal war between Israel and Hamas ,

On top of this, he called for a Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap as the war between the countries grinds into a third year.

'In calling for respect for the principles of international law, I express my hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine,' he told tens of thousands of Catholics gathered at Saint Peter's Square.

Today he asked those gathered at Saint Peter's Square to pray for him. 

He said: 'Please do not forget to pray for me.'

He lightheartedly added: 'Have a good lunch, and until next time.' 

The plea comes after the Vatican said the Pope would not be joining the procession which is a re-enactment of Jesus' death by crucifixion, in order to 'preserve his health'. 

In a brief statement on Friday, the Vatican had said that 'to preserve his health ahead of tomorrow's vigil and the Easter Sunday mass, Pope Francis will this evening follow the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum from the Santa Marta Residence', where he lives.

Today he asked those gathered at Saint Peter's Square to pray for him, though did not specifically say why

The plea comes after the Vatican said the Pope would not be joining the procession which is a re-enactment of Jesus' death by crucifixion, in order to 'preserve his health'

The last-minute decision has raised questions about how long Francis can continue to lead the Catholic Church.

A Vatican source aid on Friday that there was 'no particular concern' about his health and that the decision to pullout had been 'simply a measure of caution'.

The Argentinian Jesuit had also cancelled his participation in the 'Via Crucis' in 2023, but that followed a three-day hospital stay for bronchitis, and was announced well ahead of time. Weeks later, he underwent a hernia operation.

Up until Friday, the pope had attended his various engagements throughout the week, but he recently appeared tired and has sometimes delegated speaking roles to colleagues.

Francis, who never takes holidays, made his last trip in September, to the southern French city of Marseille. In December, he cancelled a much-anticipated attendance at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.

His next scheduled trip is to Venice on April 28. The Vatican has not yet confirmed a planned trip to Asia and Pacific Ocean nations for this summer.

Francis has previously left the door open to stepping down if he can no longer do the job. That would follow the example of his immediate predecessor, Benedict XVI, who in 2013 became the first pope since the Middle Ages to voluntarily step aside.

But in a memoir published this month, Francis wrote that he did 'not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning'.