One week after Pope Francis was released from the hospital, having been admitted for a bout of bron-chitis, the Vatican announced that he will not preside over his late-night Via Crucis on Good Friday as planned due to the cold weather.
In a statement Friday afternoon, the Vatican said that “due to the intense cold in recent days, Pope Francis will follow the Via Crucis this evening from the Casa Santa Marta, uniting himself to the prayer of those who will gather with the Diocese of Rome.”
The statement did not say who will preside over the Via Crucis in the pope’s place, but it is expected that the vicar of Rome, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, will lead the traditional Good Friday Way of the Cross prayer at the Colosseum.
Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital last week after experiencing breathing dif-ficulties and was diagnosed with bronchitis. He was treated intravenously with antibiotics and was dis-charged on Saturday and kicked off Holy Week by presiding over Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square the next day.
In a statement last Saturday, the Vatican said the pope’s Holy Week plans were unchanged, and that he would preside over his scheduled liturgies with a cardinal celebrating at the altar, which was the plan prior to his hospital stay. Francis presided over a Chrism Mass in St. Pe-ter’s Basilica Thursday morning, during which the holy oils used in the church’s sacraments throughout the year are blessed, and he celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Casal de Marmo youth prison Thursday evening, washing the feet of 12 inmates, including two women.—AFP
