Pope’s Francis Last Minute Skip Of Good Friday Ritual Reignites Worries About His Health

The 87-year-old Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis missed participating in the Good Friday Way of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome on Friday night, causing worries among church faithfuls regarding his health.

Pope Francis’ chair was already in place on the platform where he was to preside over the rite but five minutes before the official start of the procession, the Vatican press office announced the decision he would not be taking part and the chair was quickly taken away.

The Good Friday procession re-enacts Jesus Christ’s Passion from the night he was arrested by Roman soldiers to his crucifixion.

A Vatican press statement said the reason for the Pope’s withdrawal was to  “conserve his health” ahead of Easter.

Last year the Pope missed the same procession due to “extremely cold weather” in Rome.

Earlier on Friday however, he was fit enough to attend the Passion of the Lord service in St Peter’s Basilica along with cardinals and bishops, which featured chants in Latin recounting events from Jesus’ arrest to his burial.

The Pope’s health has been under scrutiny due to respiratory problems he’s had. One of his lungs was surgically removed as a young man, along with recent bouts of flu, bronchitis, and cold. He occasionally relies on aides to deliver speeches and skipped his Palm Sunday homily last Sunday.

In addition to respiratory challenges, Pope Francis underwent surgery to remove a portion of his large intestine in 2021, and he was hospitalized twice last year for other complications.

Nevertheless, the Vatican assures Francis will lead the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s, as well as deliver his customary Urbi et Orbi address, where he discusses events in the world.

In December last year, the Pope told a Mexican broadcast Televisa’s N+ streaming service. during an interview that his tomb is prepared and ready at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Pope Francis, born in 1939 in Argentina, came to office on 13 March 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013. The Papacy is for a lifetime.

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