Ukraine war overshadows pope’s Good Friday services
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis presided at a solemn Good Friday service recalling the final hours within the lifetime of Jesus, with the shadow of the battle in Ukraine hanging over essentially the most sombre day within the Christian calendar.
Francis, 85, who has been affected by a current flare-up of ache in his knee and legs, walked with a limp alongside the principle aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica at first and finish of the service, generally known as The Ardour of the Lord.
Nonetheless, he didn’t prostrate himself on the marble ground as he has at first of comparable previous providers. He as an alternative stood for a couple of minutes along with his head bowed.
Francis later sat whereas cantors and a choir sang gospel verses recounting occasions from Jesus’ arrest to his burial.
The Good Friday service is likely one of the few occasions the place the pope doesn’t ship a homily, leaving it to the preacher of the papal family, Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa.
“This 12 months we have a good time Easter to not the joyful sound of bells, however with the noise in our ears of bombs and explosions not removed from right here,” Catalamessa mentioned, referring to the battle in Ukraine.
Paraphrasing the biblical peace name to “beat your swords into plowshares and your spears into pruning hooks,” Cantalamessa spoke of beating “missiles into factories and houses”.
On Friday evening, Francis was because of preside at a candlelight “Through Crucis” (Method of the Cross) procession at Rome’s Colosseum.
This 12 months, the Vatican’s choice to have each Ukrainians and Russians participate in a single a part of the the procession has triggered friction with Ukrainian Catholic leaders, who had referred to as for it to reconsidered.
On Saturday night Francis will lead an Easter Vigil Mass within the basilica.
On Easter Sunday, an important day within the Christian liturgical calendar, he’ll say Mass in St. Peter’s Sq. after which ship his twice-yearly “Urbi et Orbi” (to town and the world) message and blessing.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Enhancing by Gareth Jones)
