By NICOLE WINFIELD, ANDREW MEDICHINI and ARITZ PARRA (Associated Press)
Pope Francis chose not to join the usual Good Friday parade at Rome’s Colosseum to protect his health, according to the Vatican. This raised concerns about his fragile state during a very busy religious period.
Francis was supposed to lead the Way of the Cross procession, acting out Christ’s suffering and crucifixion, and wrote the meditations that are read at each station. But just before the event started, the Vatican announced that Francis would be following the event from his home at the Vatican.
The Vatican press office stated, “To preserve his health for the vigil tomorrow and Mass on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis will watch the Via Crucis at the Colosseum this evening from the Casa Santa Marta.”
This was the first time in his 11-year papacy that he had missed this customary, meaningful event, reminiscent of the Good Friday that St. John Paul II watched from the Apostolic Palace just before he passed away in 2005.
The 87-year-old Francis, who had part of one lung removed earlier in life, has been dealing with what he and the Vatican have described as a case of the flu, bronchitis, or a cold all through winter. In the past few weeks, he has occasionally had an aide read his speeches out loud and completely skipped his Palm Sunday sermon.
The decision to not attend the Good Friday parade seemed to be made at the very last moment: Francis’ chair was set up on the platform where he was supposed to lead the ceremony. His closest aide, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, was present and adjusted the television screen on the platform so Francis could see inside the Colosseum more clearly.
However, at 9:10 p.m., just five minutes before the official start of the parade, the Vatican press office announced on Telegram that he would not be coming. The chair was swiftly removed.
The sudden announcement brought to mind Francis’ on-the-spot decision on Palm Sunday, when the Vatican issued the pope’s sermon in advance to journalists, and his aide stood up to give him his glasses to read it, but Francis made it clear that he was skipping it.
