Pope Francis has expressed his pleasure at being once again among his flock as he delivered his weekly general audience in public for the first time in six months.
He greeted a baby, signed a book, donned a hat someone gave him and chatted with children who had painted him pictures as the faithful - all in masks, unlike the vaccinated pontiff - lined up to greet him. "I am happy to resume this face to face because I tell you one thing - it is not nice to talk in front of nothing, in front of a camera," Pope Francis told them as they sat on socially-distanced chairs to listen to his audience in the San Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican.