Pope Francis canceled his participation in the Good Friday Via Crucis in Rome at the last minute

Pope Francis, 87, canceled his participation in the Via Crucis on Good Friday at the Colosseum in Rome at the last minute. the Vatican announced in a context of persistent concerns about his weakened health.

“To preserve your health in preparation for tomorrow’s vigil and Easter Sunday mass, Pope Francisco will follow the Via Crucis of the Colosseum from the residence of Santa Marta,” the Vatican reported in a statement.

The pope’s chair was already placed on a hill in the Colosseum, but just after the announcement, just moments before the start of the ceremony, the organizers removed it.

“This is simply a precautionary measure”a Vatican source told AFP, who assured that the pope’s health, which in recent hours has been “in good shape,” does not raise “any particular concern.”

The Argentine Jesuit also canceled his participation in this outdoor rite in 2023 for health reasons, But, last year, the Vatican previously reported that the pontiff would not participate, as he was convalescing after being hospitalized for bronchitis.

The traditional Via Crucis on Good Friday in the Colosseum is one of the most important dates in the calendar of the Catholic Church and thousands of faithful from numerous countries, many with candles, gathered in silence to attend this Holy Week rite.

In an unprecedented event since his election in 2013, Pope Francis wrote the texts that will be pronounced at each of the 14 stations that symbolize the Calvary of Jesus, according to Christian tradition.

The Vatican reported that these meditations are “a face-to-face conversation with Christ, composed of reflections, questions, introspections, confessions and invocations.”