A particularly notable absence. At the last minute, Pope Francis canceled his participation in the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome on Friday. Enough to fuel concerns around the health of the 87-year-old pontiff. “To preserve his health in view of tomorrow’s vigil and the Easter Sunday mass, Pope Francis will follow the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum this evening from the Sainte-Marthe Residence,” the Vatican announced in a press release.
At the time of the announcement, which came just seconds before the start of the ceremony, organizers removed the pope’s chair from a hill in front of the Colosseum. “This is a simple measure of prudence,” a Vatican source told AFP, assuring that the health of the pope, who appeared “in good shape” in recent hours, gave rise to “no particular concern.” “.
This decision, however, risks reviving questions about the pope’s ability to continue to govern the Catholic Church, while he has always left “the door open” to a possible renunciation, in line with his predecessor Benedict XVI.
Busy week
In recent days, the Bishop of Rome has honored a busy schedule, participating in several ceremonies as part of Holy Week, the main highlight of the Catholic calendar, which precedes Easter.
On Friday afternoon, the head of the Catholic Church presided over the celebration of the Passion of Christ in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican as planned. On Thursday, he washed the feet of 12 women detained in a Rome prison, taking part in a walkabout and appearing smiling.
He must also preside over Easter mass on Sunday morning in Saint Peter’s Square before giving the blessing “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the city and to the world”), during which he generally reviews international conflicts. In recent days, he has also been forced on several occasions to delegate the reading of certain speeches for health reasons.