The pain in the right knee that Pope Francis is dragging prevented him from celebrating the Easter Vigil ceremony in Saint Peter’s Basilica this Saturday, so he limited himself to reading the homily, baptizing a group of people and following the Mass sitting down. in an armchair
The Pope, who will turn 86 in December, suffers from knee pain due to osteoarthritis that has already caused changes in his Easter schedulesuch as not participating in the procession last Palm Sunday.
It is the first time since 2005 that a Pope has not presided over the Easter Vigil ceremony, which was attended by some 6,000 people, according to the Europa Press agency, given that John Paul II was disabled that year due to his illness.
Francisco was present at every celebration seated but did not officiate the mass, so the dean of the College of Cardinals, the Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, was in charge of celebrating it.
Easter Vigil
At the Easter Vigil, a mass in which Catholics await the Resurrection of Jesus, the Pontiff read his homily, in which pointed out that God cannot be “pigeonholed” in human “schemes”.
Thus, he urged not to seek their support only “in the passing emotion” or in the “moment of need”.
The Pope also claimed the role of a Church “without fear, without strategies or opportunism” and I hope that what moves her “the desire to bring everyone the joy of the Gospel”.
“Let us resurrect Jesus, the Living One, from the tombs where we have put him, let us free him from the formalities where we have often locked him up,” he demanded.
During the ceremony, seven adults from Italy, the United States of America, Albania and Cuba were baptized.
The Pontiff, who did not take part in the procession at the entrance, was also unable to prostrate himself on the floor of Saint Peter’s Basilica for the Passion of the Lord this Friday, during Good Friday, when the Church remembers the Calvary and death of Christ in the Cross.
