Tens of thousands of Catholics will come together on Sunday at Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City to listen to Pope Francis conduct Easter Mass and give a traditional blessing.
The 87-year-old pontiff will lead the mass starting at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) and will give the “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and the World) blessing at midday, with the events being broadcast live worldwide.
Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is the conclusion of Holy Week, a significant part of the Catholic calendar observed by 1.3 billion people.
The pope presided over the Easter Vigil at the Vatican on Saturday in front of about 6,000 people from around the world, a day after his last-minute withdrawal from a major Good Friday procession sparked questions about his health.
He gave a 10-minute speech in Italian, speaking without any significant difficulty and condemning “the walls of selfishness and indifference” in the world.
At the end of the two-and-a-half-hour service, he showed little sign of tiredness, taking the time to greet and bless some of the worshipers.
In a brief statement on Friday, the Vatican had stated that “to preserve his health ahead of tomorrow’s vigil and the Easter Sunday mass, Pope Francis will this evening follow the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum from the Santa Marta Residence”, where he lives.
– Health concerns –
The last-minute decision raised questions about how long Francis can continue to lead the Catholic Church.
A Vatican source informed AFP on Friday that there was “no particular concern” about his health, and that the decision to withdraw had been “simply a measure of caution”.
The Argentinian Jesuit had also canceled his participation in the “Via Crucis” in 2023, but that followed a three-day hospital stay for bronchitis, and was announced well ahead of time. Weeks later, he underwent a hernia operation.
Up until Friday, the pope had attended his various engagements throughout the week, but he recently appeared tired and has sometimes delegated speaking roles to colleagues.
Francis, who never takes vacations, made his last trip in September, to the southern French city of Marseille. In December, he canceled a much-anticipated attendance at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
His next scheduled trip is to Venice on April 28. The Vatican has not yet confirmed a planned trip to Asia and Pacific Ocean nations for this summer.
Francis has previously hinted at the possibility of stepping down if he is no longer able to perform the job. He mentioned his immediate predecessor, Benedict XVI, who in 2013 became the first pope since the Middle Ages to voluntarily step down.
But in a memoir published this month, Francis wrote that he did “not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning.”
AFP
