Pope Francis led the Easter Vigil service at the Vatican on Saturday night, giving a 10-minute speech and baptizing eight people, after not attending the Good Friday procession at the Colosseum due to health concerns.
In a wheelchair, Francis entered the dark and quiet St. Peter’s Basilica, sat in a chair, and said an opening prayer. He sounded congested and out of breath as he blessed an intricately decorated Easter candle, which was then shared with other candles until the basilica sparkled.
An hour later, Francis delivered a 10-minute speech with a strong voice, occasionally clearing his throat.
The evening service, a significant moment in the Catholic calendar, commemorates Jesus's resurrection. The Vatican stated Francis missed the Good Friday procession to ensure his participation in both the Saturday night vigil service, which typically lasts around two hours, and the Easter Sunday Mass.
The 87-year-old Francis, who had part of one lung removed when he was young, has been dealing with respiratory issues all winter, making it hard for him to speak at length. He and the Vatican have mentioned that he has had bronchitis, a cold, or the flu.
He has canceled some meetings and often asked an aide to read some of his speeches. However, concern grew when he completely skipped his Palm Sunday speech last week and then decided abruptly on Friday to stay home instead of leading the Way of the Cross procession at the Colosseum.
The Vatican explained briefly that the decision was made to “protect his health.”
The decision seemed to have been beneficial on Saturday night, as Francis was able to lead the lengthy vigil service and perform the baptism for the eight adults. The baptism is a traditional part of the Vatican’s Easter Vigil service.
During his speech, Francis spoke about the stone that is believed to have been taken from Christ’s tomb after his death. He urged Catholics to eliminate the obstacles in their lives that “block the door of our hearts, stifling life, extinguishing hope, imprisoning us in the tomb of our fears and regrets.”
“Let us look to him and request that the power of his resurrection may remove the heavy stones that burden our souls,” he said.
For any pope, Holy Week is challenging, with four days of rituals, ceremonies, fasting, and prayer. This is especially true for Francis, who cancelled a trip to Dubai late last year on doctor’s orders due to his respiratory problems.
In addition to his respiratory issues, Francis had a portion of his large intestine removed in 2021 and was hospitalized twice last year, including once to remove intestinal scar tissue from previous surgeries to address diverticulosis. He has been using a wheelchair or cane for nearly two years due to bad knee ligaments.
In his new autobiography, 'Life: My Story Through History,' Francis mentioned that he is not dealing with any health issues serious enough to make him step down, and that he still has 'many projects to complete.'
