The pontiff said the health workers were “angels” for having “consoled and supported” the suffering and the dying during the pandemic which has killed more than 34,600 people in Italy.
Francis praised them for “those small creative gestures of love”, such as helping critically ill patients call their loved ones to see them or speak to them one last time.
“You were one of the supporting pillars of the entire country,” he told doctors and nurses from the Lombardy region gathered in the Vatican’s frescoed Clementine Hall, which had not been used for months because of the crisis.
He also expressed his “esteem and sincere thanks... to those of you here and to your colleagues across Italy”.
Francis paid special tribute to the almost 170 doctors who have died in Italy after being infected with coronavirus.
The Vatican mirrored Italy’s nationwide lockdown, which was imposed in March and lifted early this month.
Francis’ weekly general audience is still being held without the public and streamed over the Internet, although he has resumed giving his Sunday message from his window since St Peter’s Square was reopened last month.
He has resumed public masses but with only around 50 people allowed.
