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The trip was planned this year as it is Jubilee Year for all Catholics – something that only happens once very 25 years.

The crowd, a mixture of priests and nuns based in Rome and Catholic pilgrims here for a Jubilee year, were led by an American cardinal.

The Pope was unable to deliver his regular weekly prayer on Sunday in St Peter's Square or lead a special mass for artists to mark the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year.

The visit to meet Pope Francis also coincides with 2025 being a special "jubilee" year for the Catholic church, held every 25 years.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the Pope on the last such jubilee year in 2000.