A recovering Pope Francis visits Rome prison to keep annual Holy Week appointment

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis visited Rome's central prison Thursday and met with dozens of inmates as he kept an Easter season appointment to spend Holy Thursday among the least fortunate, even as he continues recovering from a life-threatening bout of pneumonia.

Francis met for nearly a half-hour with some 70 inmates at the Regina Caeli prison in Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood. It’s a prison Francis has visited before to perform the annual Holy Thursday ritual of washing the feet of 12 people to re-enact Christ’s gesture of humble service of washing the feet of 12 apostles before his crucifixion.

Francis told the inmates he couldn’t do it this year, given his health, but wanted to nevertheless be with them and “do what Jesus did on Holy Thursday."

The fact that the 88-year-old pope kept the appointment, when he is under doctors’ orders to take it easy and avoid crowds, was a clear sign of the importance he places on prison ministry and the need for priests to serve those most on the margins. That is all the more true during the 2025 Holy Year, which both opened and will close with special papal events for prison inmates.

“Every time I enter one of these places, I ask myself: ‘Why them and not me?’” Francis told reporters outside the prison in his first off-the-cuff comments since he got sick.

Francis is expected to make at least some other Easter-time appearances over the coming days, even as cardinals will preside in his place during Holy Week's busy events. He made a surprise cameo at the end of Palm Sunday Mass last weekend and in recent days has made some unannounced visits — including one in which he wasn’t dressed in his papal white cassock — to pray in St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Mary Major basilica across town.

By all indications he is continuing to improve after his five-week hospital stay and is slowly resuming some of his normal activities. In recent outings, including on Thursday, he has been seen without the nasal tubes that provide supplemental oxygen and Vatican officials say he is increasingly less reliant on the therapy.

Asked Thursday how he was doing and marking this year's Easter season, Francis said in a weak voice: “I am living it as I can.”

On Wednesday, Francis held his first formal group audience since returning to the Vatican on March 23, meeting with the medical staff of the Gemelli hospital who cared for him during his 38-day stay. Gathered in a Vatican audience hall, Francis thanked the 70-plus doctors, nurses and administrators and asked them for their continued prayers.

“Thank you for everything you did,” Francis said, his voice still labored but seemingly stronger as he continues respiratory and physical therapy.

Francis has delegated the demanding Holy Week liturgical celebrations to hand-picked cardinals, but the Vatican says the pope himself composed the meditations that will be read aloud by others during the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession on Friday night at Rome’s Colosseum.

Easter Sunday Mass has been assigned to the retired administrator of St. Peter’s, Cardinal Angelo Comastri.

It remains to be seen how Francis will handle Easter Sunday’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (Latin for “to the city and the world”) speech and blessing after Mass. Normally the pope delivers a sometimes lengthy discourse on the state of the world from the loggia of St. Peter’s, and then imparts a special blessing to the faithful in the piazza below. In theory someone else could read the speech while Francis could impart the blessing.

Francis was admitted to Gemelli on Feb. 14 with bronchitis that quickly developed into a life-threatening case of double pneumonia. Upon his release March 23, doctors prescribed two months of convalescence at the Vatican with daily respiratory and physical therapy to improve his breathing and vocal function. With time, they have predicted he will be able to resume his normal activities.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Francis leaves in a car at the end of his visit on Holy Thursday to the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti presides over a mass inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican on Holy Thursday to commemorate Christ¥s Last Supper before his crucifixion, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis meets with inmates during his visit to the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome on Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Holy See Press Office via AP, HO)

Pope Francis waves at inmates behind a closed gate during his visit to the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome on Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP, HO)

Cardinals attend the Chrism Mass presided over by Delegate of the Holy Father Cardinal Domenico Calcagno inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis meets with inmates during his visit to the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome on Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP, HO)

Pope Francis leaves in a car at the end of his visit on Holy Thursday to the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis talks to journalists as he leaves at the end of his visit to the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome on Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A car with Pope Francis enters the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome on Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A car with Pope Francis enters the Regina Coeli penitentiary in Rome on Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinals attend the Chrism Mass presided over by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Prelates attend the Chrism Mass presided over by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Prelates attend the Chrism Mass presided over by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, presides over the Chrism Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno presides over the Chrism Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinals attend the Chrism Mass presided over by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinals attend the Chrism Mass presided over by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A Swiss Guard attends the Chrism Mass presided over by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, center, blows inside an amphora containing holy oil during a Chrism Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, presides over the Chrism Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinals attend the Chrism Mass on Ash presided by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno at the St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinals attend the Chrism Mass on Ash presided by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno at the St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A Swiss Guard attends the Chrism Mass on Ash presided by Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno at the St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Delegate of the Holy Father, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno presides over the Chrism Mass on Ash St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, April. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis arrives at the end of the mass on Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis arrives at the end of the mass on Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis arrives at the end of the mass on Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis arrives at the end of the mass on Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis arrives at the end of the mass on Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis arrives at the end of the mass on Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The book is called “The Obstacle Is the Way.” It's a gift that Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault gave to Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein during a trying time this season, knowing the voracious reader would figure out the meaning.

Message delivered.

“I read it and remembered that everything happens for a reason,” Hartenstein said. “And after that, everything worked out great.”

Such has been the story of the Thunder season. Such was the story of Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Faced with the biggest challenge of their season — a 10-point deficit in the second half, staring at a very real chance of the Indiana Pacers grabbing the almost-insurmountable 3-1 lead in the title round — the Thunder, once again, came away saying everything worked out great.

Led by a dazzling and frantic finish from the reigning MVP and scoring champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — who had 15 of his 35 points in the final five minutes or so — the Thunder rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Indiana 111-104 on Friday night. The series is now tied 2-2, heading back to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Monday night, and it's the Thunder who have home-court advantage again.

“That was an uphill game against a great team,” Daigneault said after Game 4 in Indianapolis, simultaneously lauding his team while also raving about the Pacers. “This is one of the best teams in the league in the last couple months, since All-Star break. They’re a hard team to beat here. They’re a hard team to beat, period. I thought we gutted it out on a night when we didn’t have a lot going, especially offensively.”

It was a night when the Thunder made only three 3-pointers and were shooting 45% with about five minutes left before Gilgeous-Alexander got going. He took 11 shots in the final 4:40 — three field-goal attempts, one of them a 3-point try, and eight free throws — and made them all. A perfect finish, on a night when little had gone to plan.

“It’s unbelievable," Daigneault said. “He really didn’t have it going a lot of the night. He was laboring. We had a hard time shaking him free. For him to be able to flip the switch like that and get the rhythm he got just speaks to how great of a player he is.”

It might not have seemed so to the outside world — those who fixated on things like Oklahoma City's 68-14 franchise-best record, its 16-game lead over its nearest challenger in the Western Conference standings, a record number of double-digit wins and how all of it was led by the MVP and scoring champion in Gilgeous-Alexander. But the Thunder did, in fact, face some adversity this season.

They played without Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein for a while during the year. There was some flux to the lineup at times. Everybody probably had some sort of mini-slump along the way. There was a Game 1 loss in the second round to Denver. And Daigneault embraced every bit of that pain, knowing that for the Thunder to get to where they want to go adversity was going to present itself.

Like the being-down-10, late-third-quarter sort of adversity that came up in Game 4.

Just like Hartenstein was led to believe by the book, everything worked out great.

“We haven’t really had to show it a lot this year, with the success we had in the regular season,” guard Jalen Williams said shortly before the team left for the flight back to Oklahoma City, where a huge crowd showed up in the middle of the night to greet the team at the airport — as they often do. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs during the playoffs. We’ve just learned from those experiences. That is something Mark is really big on; every game you should be able to learn, then the next game you should be able to apply something and get better at it. That’s what we’re trying to do every time.”

The series is far from over and the Thunder know it. Indiana already has won once at Oklahoma City in these finals; surely, the Pacers think they can do it again. And even though the teams finished 18 wins apart in the final standings — OKC won 68 times, Indiana won 50 — it doesn't seem like 18 wins worth of disparity between the clubs right now.

Indiana stole Game 1 at the end. Oklahoma City stole Game 4 at the end, albeit not as dramatically as the Pacers took the opener. Game 2 was pretty much controlled by the Thunder throughout; the Pacers had the best of the play for the majority of Game 3.

Add it up, and it looks exactly like what it is — a 2-2 series going into Game 5.

“I still feel like we have so much work to do,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Halfway there, obviously, but still so far from the finish line.”

True, but two more efforts like this, and everything will work out great. Just like the book says.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) celebrates during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault speaks during a press conference before Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) talks with head coach Mark Daigneault during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault argues a call with the referee during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)