Pope Public Presence in Holy Week 2025 depends on meteorology

Although Pope Francis’s clinical evolution remains stable with slight improvements, the Vatican still does not make forecasts and confirms that his public presence in Holy Week rites will depend on weather conditions in Rome.

After a week without updates, the Vatican has disseminated this Friday a new part of the health status of Pope Francis, who continues his convalescence in the Santa Marta house after remaining 38 days hospitalized in the Gemelli Polyclinic of Rome.

19 days have been fulfilled today since the Holy Father He returned to the Vaticanon March 23, and its clinical evolution remains stable. As reported by the director of the press office of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni, the recovery of the Pontiff progresses normally and the “slight improvements” continue.

The Holy Father continues to use high flow oxygen for “therapeutic” purposes, although the periods in which it does not require them are increasingly prolonged. On both occasions in the that has been seen Publicly, the pontiff carried the nasal cannulas through which he receives oxygen at specific times of the day, since, for now, he is not able to breathe autonomously.

In addition, it continues with respiratory and motor physiotherapy, and Bruni reported, blood tests are positive, confirming a favorable evolution in lung function.

It has also begun to receive some of its closest collaborators, such as the substitute for general affairs, Mons. Edgar Peña Parra, the Secretary for Relations with the States, Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher, and the Secretary for Pontifical Representations, Mons. Luciano Russo.

He has held other meetings that remain in the private sphere and under strict medical measures with some prefects of dicasteries and superiors of the Roman curia. He also received King Carlos III from England and Queen Camila.

As for the liturgical celebrations of Holy Week, for the moment no changes have been communicated. Bruni confirmed that everything will depend on the meteorology of those days in Rome. It should be remembered that the pontiff He did not participate In the prayer of Via crucis On the night of Good Friday last year due to low temperatures and “to preserve your health.”

For now, Ramos Sunday’s Mass will be chaired, by delegation of the Pope, by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Vice Dean of the Cardenalicio College.

Regarding the Unexpected reappearance From Pope Francis yesterday in the Basilica of San Pedro, dressed in a white shirt covered by a striped blanket, without a solidal and without his usual white cassock, Matteo Bruni clarified that the pontiff went out to take the air and decided to go to the Basilica “as it was”, since he wanted to pray and meet the faithful.

He also recalled that Pope Francis is “constantly assisted by doctors and nurses” that they attend to him 24 hours a day. Finally, he pointed out that medical analysis and controls indicate that it is slowly improving, although infection in the lungs has not yet been overcome.

The Holy See is planned to offer new information, especially about its possible presence in the celebrations of the Pascual Triduum, between Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.