Despite his poor health, the Pope led the Easter mass. The 87-year-old opened the service in St. Peter’s Square. Easter message and blessing follow later.
Easter mass began in the Vatican with Pope Francis. The 87-year-old opened the morning service at an altar in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. At the beginning of the mass, he sat down on a white chair in the altar area, which was decorated with many flowers.
Tens of thousands of people came to St. Peter’s Square. Hours beforehand, queues had formed in front of the entrance controls at the colonnades.
At noon he delivers his Easter message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and gives the blessing “Urbi et orbi” (to the city of Rome and the world). The mass is the highlight of the Easter holidays.
worry about health status
The Pope is in poor health. He therefore canceled his participation in the traditional Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome at short notice on Good Friday, which fueled speculation about his health.
Joy and hope
On Saturday evening, the 87-year-old delivered the sermon in St. Peter’s Basilica while sitting in a wheelchair in front of around 6,000 believers. In it he spoke of the “walls of selfishness and indifference” in the world and the “longing for peace that is broken by the ruthlessness of hatred and the cruelty of war.”
Regardless of global political crises, he called for joy and hope. These crises are “boulders of death,” said the head of the Catholic Church in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. According to Francis’ words, Easter is intended to encourage people and give hope: “This is the power of God: the victory of life over death, the triumph of light over darkness, the re-blooming of hope amid the rubble of failure.” After Holy Week, the Easter Vigil is an occasion for joy.
Stubborn ones Respiratory infection
For the Pope, the Easter days mean a strain on his health. He has been suffering from the effects of a persistent respiratory infection for months. He clearly finds it difficult to speak for long periods of time. At public appearances, his employees often had to recite the prepared texts.
Last year – shortly before Easter – he was plagued by bronchitis, for which he had to be treated in hospital for a few days. A few months later, Francis had to undergo abdominal surgery. Last year, after recovering from bronchitis, the Pope had to forego attending the Stations of the Cross outdoor service at the Colosseum for a short time. It was the first time since the beginning of his pontificate in 2013 that a Stations of the Cross took place without Francis.