Pope’s Possible Presence During Holy Week to be Evaluated

Vatican City: The Holy See Press Office on Thursday announced that Pope Francis’s participation in the Holy Week celebrations is still under consideration, contingent upon the progress of his health in the upcoming weeks.

According to Ansa News Agency, the Holy See emphasized that assessing the Pope’s health improvements will be crucial in determining his potential involvement and the terms of his participation in the Holy Week events. The Vatican released the schedule for the liturgical celebrations spanning from Palm Sunday on April 13 to April 27, which is marked by the canonization of the Blessed Carlo Acutis, including Easter Sunday on April 20.

Currently, the Pope’s presence is not confirmed, nor are there any details about other celebrants for the events. Pope Francis, aged 88, was discharged from the hospital on Sunday following a 38-day battle with pneumonia and is expected to undergo a recovery period of at least two months.

Carlo Acutis, a student from Lombardy who passed away at 15 due to leukaemia in 2006, is set to be canonized on April 27 during the Roman Catholic Jubilee. Acutis, who was beatified on October 10, 2020, in Assisi, is admired by many young believers and has been referred to as a ‘patron saint of the internet’ for his exemplary Christian life.