Pope John Paul II made a brief but silent appearance from his Vatican window today, the first time he has been seen in public since leaving hospital on Sunday.
To the delight of hundreds of pilgrims, the Pope appeared at the window of his apartments overlooking St Peter's Square for about one minute.
Pope John Paul II blesses pilgrims and faithful during a surprise appearance at the open window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's today.
Sitting on a wheeled armchair and wearing his traditional white cassock, the 84-year-old Roman Catholic leader waved to the crowd several times and blessed the faithful, but he did not speak.
Wednesday is the day the Pope normally holds his weekly general audience. The Pope returned to the Vatican on Sunday after 18 days in Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he underwent a tracheotomy on February 24th to relieve severe breathing problems.
The Vatican has said the Pope will continue his convalescence in his apartments in the Apostolic Palace.
It was still not clear what role the Pope will play, if any, in Holy Week events between Palm Sunday on March 20th and Easter on March 27th.
For the first time in his 26-year-old papacy he has delegated senior cardinals to preside at nearly all of the Holy Week services - one of the busiest periods of the Church calendar.
But Vatican officials hoped he would be able to make at least brief appearances or be linked up by television so the faithful can see him.