Pope present at Easter vigil

Pope Francis was present last night at the Easter vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. He will also attend the traditional Easter Mass this morning and give his Easter message and blessing.

On Friday evening he was absent from the traditional Way of the Cross at the Colosseum for health reasons. According to the Vatican, he skipped the ceremony to conserve his strength. Last year he missed the same ceremony due to pneumonia.

The 87-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church has recently had more frequent health problems. Lung problems that he has had since childhood have recently been exacerbated by flu, bronchitis and a cold.

In a wheelchair

Last night, Francis entered the church in a wheelchair because of his bad knees, where about 6,000 worshipers were present by candlelight. Shortly afterwards all the lights came back on, symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus.

Although the vigil is one of the longest celebrations in the Catholic calendar at over two hours, Francis was present for the entire ceremony and read the 10-minute sermon himself rather than leaving it to a subordinate.

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Franciscus sounded a bit hoarse and short of breath, but at the end of the mass he was wheeled out of the church cheerfully waving:

At 10 a.m. the Pope has his next Easter celebration scheduled, the most important festival of the year for the Roman Catholic Church. There he pronounces the blessing Urbi et Orbi, for the city of Rome and the rest of the world. Tens of thousands of believers are expected on St. Peter’s Square.