Pope Francis: Does he come to Urbi et Orbi blessing on Easter Sunday?

Pope Francis: Does he come to Urbi et Orbi blessing on Easter Sunday?

Pope Francis plans to be present at the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing after the Easter mass on Sunday in Petersdom. However, his participation depends crucially on his state of health and temperature. In the past few days, many Vatican reporters have dealt with the question of whether the 88-year-old is healthy enough for the important Easter blessing. On March 23, Francis returned to the Vatican after a long stay in the clinic, where he was treated for severe pneumonia.

The Pope had to fight acute lifetry during his stay in the clinic and spent a total of 38 days in the Gemelli Hospital. This longest absence from the Vatican leaves questions about his physical condition and his ability to conduct the World Church with over 1.4 billion believers. Despite his health challenges, Francis is increasingly becoming the public and has already completed several surprise appearances.

public appearances and health

On Maundy Thursday, Pope Francis visited prisoners in a Roman prison. He was seen in a wheelchair and looked weak, which triggered concern with many believers. He could not do the traditional foot washing and apologized while he prayed for the prisoners and their families. This was his longest appearance since the serious illness. Chief physician Sergio Alfieri had previously reported a critical phase during the hospital stay.

The Pope was also seen at his appearance on Palm Sunday on Petersplatz, where he spoke in front of around 20,000 people and wanted a blessed Palm Sunday to those present. Despite his weakened condition, he no longer had oxygen cannulas. His spokesman emphasizes that the Pope has delegated many appointments in the past few weeks to cope with the celebrations at Easter.

Easter in the Vatican

Easter is the most important festival for Christians that reminds of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The central Easter night mass is celebrated by Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the Cardinal College. The fair is kept on Easter Sunday by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, 81 years old. Although many of the most important celebrations in the Vatican are led by other cardinals, there is still hope that Pope Francis will speak the "Urbi et orbi" blessing.

During his week in the hospital, he also received several employees of the Gemelli Clinic, thanking him moved and even joke about the rector of the Catholic University. Doctors had prescribed a complete protection for the next two months during his release. Nevertheless, the Pope is active and would like to remain present as a visible leadership figure until the end of the anniversary year.