Pope Francis Joins 25,000 at the Way of the Cross Via Video Link for Good Friday - Choosing Not to Travel to the Colosseum to Preserve his Health - VIDEO
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Due to health reasons, Pope Francis, at age 87, followed the traditional Way of the Cross held at Rome’s Colosseum on Good Friday from his residence at the Casa Santa Marta. The pope still led the faithful in reflecting on our Christian journey of prayer. Rome’s mayor Roberto Gualtierei, was also present at the Colosseum with the approximately 25,000 faithful. Pope Francis did preside at the Liturgy of the Passion for Good Friday earlier in the day at St. Peter's Basilica.“We now take this time to be with you. We want to spend it in closeness to you. On the way from Gethsemane to Calvary, you never stopped praying.”
Pope Francis introduced his reflections on the Good Friday Via Crucis with an invitation to reflect on the centrality of prayer in the Christian life, especially during the Year of Prayer leading up to the 2025 Jubilee. FULL TEXT Prayers written by the Pope : https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2024/03/pope-francis-writes-his-own-meditations.html
The Holy See Press Office released, that the Pope chose not to attend the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum in person.
“To preserve his health for tomorrow's Vigil and the Holy Mass on Easter Sunday,” said the statement, “Pope Francis will follow the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum this evening from the Casa Santa Marta.”
Similarly to last year, Pope Francis was not present at the Colosseum. Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome (pictured above), offered the final blessing, both in 2023 and this year.
However, the Pope was present in his words and reflections on the 14 Stations of the Cross.
A different group carried the Cross to each station through and near the ancient Flavian Amphitheatre, each of which represented various expressions of the Church’s life.
These included several cloistered nuns, people in financial difficulty, a family, people with disabilities, a prayer group, priests, women carrying out healthcare ministry, migrants, catechists, parishioners, young people, consecrated women, university students, and people serving in the diocesan Caritas.
‘Prayer can change the world’
In his own written reflections, Pope Francis recognized the difficulty of living in prayer amid the struggles and difficulties of life.
Prayer, he said, is “entrustment and offering,” as we seek to draw near to the Lord in intimacy and dialogue.
“Rouse us, Lord!” he prayed. “Awaken our hearts from their lethargy, for today too – today above all – you count on our prayer.”
The concluding prayer was: “Jesus, let me say one last word to you, and to say it over and over again: Thank you! Thank you, my Lord and my God!”
Source: Vatican News
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