The Pope, Francis, will skip attending the Via Crucis at Rome’s Colosseum this Friday. Instead, he will observe from his residence in the Vatican due to the reported intense cold surrounding the area.
According to the Vatican press office, heavy cold weather today led Pope Francis to continue the afternoon service from Casa Santa Marta to Via Crucis. Those gathered in Rome will join the prayers alongside members of the Diocese of Rome at the Colosseum.
Earlier in the week, the Pope visited a juvenile prison on the outskirts of Rome, where he celebrated a Mass. In a gesture echoing the Last Supper, he rose from a wheelchair to wash the feet of twelve inmates, reaffirming his message of service and humility days after leaving the hospital the previous Saturday.
Pope Francis had been discharged after a brief hospital stay for bronchitis. He appeared in good form, presiding over the service from a side of the altar arranged to accommodate his knee issues that limit prolonged standing.
He delivered the morning homily during the Mass, which reaffirmed the priestly vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The remarks urged unity within the church and caution against factionalism that can fracture the community.
Via Crucis, an annual rite, draws hundreds of faithful to the Colosseum in Rome. It follows fourteen meditations tracing Jesus’s journey to Calvary, his crucifixion, and the entombment that concludes the day’s reflections.
Last year, a portion of the route focused on peace amid the Ukrainian conflict. The event drew attention to a cross-bearing moment involving a Ukrainian woman and a Russian participant, a scene that sparked discussion about unity within the church community.
On Holy Saturday, the Pope will lead the Easter Vigil. On Easter Sunday, he is scheduled to celebrate the Resurrection Mass in St. Peter’s Square. According to the timetable, he will perform the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing from the central balcony of the basilica’s facade, signaling the city’s and the world’s Easter greeting.