Pope Francis returns to audiences in person after pandemic interruption

Pope Francis smiles after an attendee placed a hat on his head in the St Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican for his weekly general audience (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Pope Francis has returned to doing audiences with the faithful in person after a nearly six-month interruption due to Covid-19.

Francis greeted several hundred socially distanced and masked visitors inside the San Domaso Courtyard of the Apostolic Palace.