Tens of thousands of Catholics will assemble in Vatican City’s Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday to witness Pope Francis celebrate Easter Mass and give a traditional blessing.
The 87-year-old pontiff will preside over the mass at 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT), pronouncing the “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and the World) blessing at midday, with the proceedings televised live across the globe.
Easter Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ’s resurrection and marks the end of Holy Week, which is observed by 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide.
The pope presided over the Easter Vigil at the Vatican on Saturday in front of around 6,000 people from all over the world, a day after his last-minute postponement of a huge Good Friday march sparked concerns about his health.
He gave a 10-minute homily in Italian, addressing clearly and denouncing “the walls of selfishness and indifference” in the world.
He displayed little exhaustion at the end of the two-and-a-half-hour ceremony, greeting and blessing several of the worshippers.
In a brief statement issued Friday, the Vatican 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 has raised worries about Francis’ ability to lead the Catholic Church for an extended period of time.
On Friday, a Vatican source told AFP that there was “no particular concern” about his health and that the decision to withdraw was “simply a measure of caution”.
The Argentinian Jesuit had also cancelled his participation in the “Via Crucis” in 2023, although this came after a three-day hospital stay for bronchitis and was notified well in advance. Weeks later, he had a hernia procedure.
Up until Friday, the pope had attended his weekly activities, but he has recently appeared fatigued and has outsourced speaking roles to others.
Francis, who never takes vacations, visited Marseille, a city in southern France, last September. In December, he canceled his planned presence at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
His next scheduled trip is to Venice on April 28. The Vatican has yet to finalize a planned trip to Asia and the Pacific Ocean this summer.
Francis has already stated that he is willing to step aside if he is unable to perform his duties. In 2013, Benedict XVI became the first pope to resign freely since the Middle Ages, setting a precedent for his successor.
But in a memoir published this month, Francis stated that he did “not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning”.