After leaving the “Agostino Gemelli” hospital in Rome on Saturday after a four-day stay, Pope Francis celebrated the liturgical celebration of Palm Sunday as the beginning of Holy Week on Sunday morning. The pope arrived in a car in St. Peter’s Square and alighted at the obelisk to perform the ritual of blessing the olive branches in front of thousands of the faithful.
Francis wore a white cloak over which he wore the red stole for the liturgy of blessing. The pilgrims gathered in Rome waved olive branches in greeting. These commemorate the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. A procession of about 100 young people, bishops and cardinals marched in St. Peter’s Square to the altar in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. There the pope celebrated mass together with the Argentine cardinal Leonardo Sandri. The pope reached the altar on foot with a walking stick.
St. Peter’s Square decorated with flowers
The square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica was decorated with flowers from the Netherlands. In the days leading up to the celebration, thousands of armchairs were set up for visitors.
About 1.7 billion Catholic and Protestant Christians around the world begin “Holy Week” on Palm Sunday, the high point of the Church year. On the Sunday before Easter, palm branches are traditionally carried in the church procession, blessed with holy water and then placed behind crucifixes in the houses.
Pope celebrates Easter week as planned
After his release from the hospital, Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Week and Easter services as planned. The Vatican confirmed the celebration of Maundy Thursday Mass, which usually includes the rite of washing the feet. Francis goes to the Casal del Marmo juvenile detention center in northwestern Rome for the occasion. Francis has been visiting prisons on Maundy Thursday for years and celebrating with prisoners the service in memory of Jesus’ last supper, during which he washed the feet of his disciples. This gesture of humility is still part of the Maundy Thursday service.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni initially left it open whether the Pope will also participate in the traditional Good Friday Evening Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum. Due to the still cool temperatures in Rome at night, it is widely expected that Francis will cancel this appointment due to his health.
Hospitalized for bronchitis
According to the information, the pope will preside over Easter week services as scheduled, while a cardinal celebrates at the altar. This division has been used in the Vatican for about a year because the Pope’s mobility is severely limited due to knee problems.
Francis was treated for bronchitis at the Gemelli Clinic in Rome from Wednesday to Saturday morning. The 86-year-old was admitted to the clinic on Wednesday and treated with antibiotics for “infectious bronchitis”. Francis’s hospitalization had sparked speculation that the head of the church would resign.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
