Appearing Before Congregation After Surgery, Pope Francis Calls For Contemplation And Restoration Of Peace

Pope Francis returns to greet the faithful and lead prayers after undergoing surgery. (Screenshot of Vatican News YouTube)

JAKARTA - After being absent for about two weeks, Pope Francis once again greeted Catholics who were in St. Peter's Square, from the balcony where he used to deliver his speech as well as the Angelus Prayer on Sunday, July 18 yesterday.

Pope Francis appeared in the window of the Apostolic Palace, the Vatican overlooking St. Peter's Square to lead the Angelus Prayer Sunday afternoon local time, after last week leading prayers and greeting devotees from the 10th floor balcony of Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy.

Pope Francis said humans need an ecology of the heart that is developed with rest, contemplation, and compassion, which is appropriate when summer has arrived.

"Compassion is born of contemplation. By learning to truly rest, we can become authentic compassion," he quoted Vatican News Sunday, July 18.

"By staying close to God and true to who we are, all of our activities and outreach will not outperform us," continued Pope Francis.

At the same time, Pope Francis also called for peace and dialogue in Cuba, after unprecedented national protests rocked the communist-run country.

"I am also close to Cuba's beloved people in these difficult times," Pope Francis said, with a number of devotees waving Cuban flags in St Peter's Square, citing Reuters.

In addition, Pope Francis also urged an end to the recent violence in South Africa, calling the deadly floods in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands a 'catastrophe'.