The Pope appears for the Angelus on a crowded St. Peter's Square. The crowd applauds

The smiling Pope looked out of the window of the Apostolic Palace to lead the Angelus after his hospitalization at Gemelli. Applause from St. Peter's Square.

"The Gospel proclaimed in today's liturgy (Mt 22,15-21) confronts us with one of the most famous sayings of Jesus: 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's'. For this reason it is important to place it in the context in which it was originally pronounced". Thus Leo XIV before the Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace, overlooking a crowded St. Peter's Square to welcome him back after the days spent in hospital and the surgery.

"The evangelist Matthew - continued the Pontiff - describes a hostile situation towards Jesus: the Pharisees gather to see how to catch him in his speeches. They decide to send some people to question him on a controversial question: 'Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar or not?'. The Master's response is astute, because it keeps him out of the trap and exposes the hypocrisy of those who want to make him fall. He asks them for the tribute money, that is, a denarius. They give it to him, and Jesus says: 'Whose image and inscription are they?' They reply: 'Caesar's'. Then he says: 'Render therefore to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.' Kingdom of God and his justice".

And, the Pope concluded, "this is precisely the profile of someone who 'renders to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's': being truthful, without awe and hypocrisy, free for good. Let us pray to the Lord to help us to be like this. And let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin Mary".