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.

Pope Francis, still recovering from double pneumonia, paid a surprise visit on Thursday to Rome's Regina Coeli, one of Italy's most overcrowded prisons, to offer well-wishes to inmates ahead of Easter.