Pope skips Palm Sunday homily but continues service, condemns Moscow attack

Pope Francis attending the Palm Sunday Mass at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on March 24. PHOTO: REUTERS

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis at the last minute skipped reading his homily during a Palm Sunday Mass for tens of thousands of people at St Peter’s Square but continued presiding at the service, read his noon prayer and was driven around the crowd in a “popemobile”.

In recent weeks, the 87-year-old Pope has been suffering on and off from bronchitis and influenza and has delegated an aide to read his addresses for him. But on March 24, his prepared text was not read at all.

It is very unusual for a Pope to totally skip a homily at a major event such as Palm Sunday.

The Vatican gave no immediate explanation for why the Pope skipped the homily. The television coverage showed only the crowd for a few minutes, instead of a close up of the Pope.

An announcer on Vatican Radio then said the Pope had decided to not read the homily. The Pope, dressed in red vestments, continued presiding, reading parts of the mass.

Cardinals, priests and bishops took part in the service that commemorates what the Bible says was Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem days before he was betrayed, put on trial and executed by crucifixion.

They, along with participants in the crowd, held palm fronds and olive branches at the service, which marks the start of Holy Week, a busy period leading to Easter.

Because of his knee ailment, for more than a year Pope Francis has been presiding at masses while sitting near the altar while a cardinal acts as the main celebrant.

After the mass, Pope Francis delivered his weekly Sunday Angelus message and blessing from the altar and not from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking the square. That is not unusual on major occasions.

In the prayer, he condemned the shooting attack that killed at least 133 people at a concert hall near Moscow as a vile and inhuman act that offends God.

He again asked for prayers for all those suffering from wars, mentioning Ukraine and Gaza.

At the end of the service, Pope Francis was driven around the square in an open-top vehicle. He waved and smiled at people in the crowd and did not appear to be any difficulty. REUTERS

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