Ailing Pope Francis gives Easter Mass at St Peter's Square – after 87-year-old pontiff's last-minute cancellation at Good Friday procession sparked renewed fears for his health

  • Reading time:4 min(s) read
Movie channels                     Music channels                     Sport channels

  • The latest cancellation provoked renewed fears for the Pontiff’s health  

Ailing Pope Francis presided of Easter Mass at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican this morning, just days after pulling out of a Good Friday procession in Rome for health reasons.

The 87-year-old Pontiff looked frail this morning as he presided over the mass while tens of thousands of Catholics gathered outside the square to mark Jesus’ resurrection. 

The head of the Catholic church arrived in a wheelchair to begin the mass at 10am in cloudy and windy weather as the event was broadcast around the world.  

His appearance, however, will provided relief for churchgoers after his last-minute cancellation two days ago sparked renewed fears for his health.

In an unprecedented statement, the Vatican said the Pope would not be joining the procession which is a re-enactment of Jesus’ death by crucifixion, in order to ‘preserve his health’. 

The precaution was taken by the Catholic church to ensure that the Pope would be fit for the Easter Vigil, which was held last night, and today’s Easter Sunday Mass.  

Ailing Pope Francis presided of Easter Mass at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican this morning

Ailing Pope Francis presided of Easter Mass at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican this morning

Pope Francis attends the Easter Mass, at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican today

Pope Francis attends the Easter Mass, at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican today

Pope Francis attends the Easter Mass at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican

Pope Francis attends the Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican

Yesterday the Pope held the vigil in front of some 6,000 people from around the world. He delivered a 10-minute homily in Italian, speaking without any undue difficulty and condemning ‘the walls of selfishness and indifference’ in the world.

At the end of the two-and-a-half-hour service he showed little sign of fatigue, taking time to greet and bless some of the worshippers.

In a brief statement Friday, the Vatican had said 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.

He also renewed his calls for the release of Israeli hostages and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as fresh truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas were due to begin.

‘I appeal once again that access to humanitarian aid be ensured to Gaza, and call once more for the prompt release of the hostages seized on October 7 and for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip.’

On top of this, he called for a Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap  as the war between the countries grinds into a third year.

‘In calling for respect for the principles of international law, I express my hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine,’ he told tens of thousands of Catholics gathered at Saint Peter’s Square.

The last-minute decision has raised questions about how long Francis can continue to lead the Catholic Church.

A Vatican source aid on Friday that there was ‘no particular concern’ about his health and that the decision to pullout had been ‘simply a measure of caution’. 

The last-minute decision for the Pope not to attend Friday's procession has raised questions about how long Francis can continue to lead the Catholic Church. Pictured: Pope Francis at Easter Mass

The last-minute decision for the Pope not to attend Friday’s procession has raised questions about how long Francis can continue to lead the Catholic Church. Pictured: Pope Francis at Easter Mass

Tens of thousands of people gathered outside St Peter's Square during the Easter Mass in the Vatican this morning

Tens of thousands of people gathered outside St Peter’s Square during the Easter Mass in the Vatican this morning 

The Argentinian Jesuit had also cancelled his participation in the ‘Via Crucis’ in 2023, but that followed a three-day hospital stay for bronchitis, and was announced well ahead of time. Weeks later, he underwent a hernia operation.

Up until Friday, the pope had attended his various engagements throughout the week, but he recently appeared tired and has sometimes delegated speaking roles to colleagues.

Francis, who never takes holidays, made his last trip in September, to the southern French city of Marseille. In December, he cancelled a much-anticipated attendance at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.

His next scheduled trip is to Venice on April 28. The Vatican has not yet confirmed a planned trip to Asia and Pacific Ocean nations for this summer.

Francis has previously left the door open to stepping down if he can no longer do the job. That would follow the example of his immediate predecessor, Benedict XVI, who in 2013 became the first pope since the Middle Ages to voluntarily step aside.

But in a memoir published this month, Francis wrote that he did ‘not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning’.