Pope Francis celebrates the Good Friday liturgy, but does not participate in the Stations of the Cross

Pope Francis celebrated the Good Friday liturgy “Passion and Death of the Lord” in St. Peter’s Basilica. The head of the Catholic Church officially presided over the celebration, but the sermon was delivered by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the official pastor of the Papal House. St. Peter’s Basilica was well attended on the occasion of the Good Friday celebration commemorating the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

The pope, dressed in a red robe, was wheeled into St. Peter’s Basilica in a wheelchair, which he has been using for some time due to his serious knee problems. He therefore also refrained from lying down in front of the altar and praying, as is actually customary at the beginning of the Good Friday liturgy. This gesture is considered a sign of worship and prostration to God. Instead, Francis remained in silent prayer for a few moments.

On Friday evening (9.15 pm) the traditional Way of the Cross is celebrated in the Colosseum in Rome. The world’s wars will be the focus of the ceremony. For example, two young people from Ukraine and Russia will participate, the Holy See announced on Friday. However, the pontifex at short notice gave up taking part in the procession against the backdrop of the ancient amphitheatre. Due to “very cold these days,” he will not be following the Stations of the Cross on site, the message said. The 86-year-old will pray from the Vatican.

In Rome, evening temperatures of around 10 degrees were expected, unusually cool for the time of year. Francis was released from hospital just last week after nearly three days of treatment for bronchitis. A day after his release from the hospital, he already led the Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter’s Square. During his public appearances in recent days, the pope has been seen coughing occasionally. (sda/dpa)