VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican began the most solemn period of Holy Week on Thursday with Pope Francis, who is still recovering and officially on the sidelines, while the cardinals designated to take his place presided over the most important liturgical services leading up to Easter.
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Francis, 88 years old, was not present at the Holy Thursday mass held in the morning at St. Peter’s Basilica. However, unconfirmed reports from the Italian press indicated that he is expected to later visit the central prison of Rome to fulfill an appointment he has maintained throughout his 12 years of papacy: to commemorate Christ’s Last Supper before his crucifixion with the less fortunate.
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The Vatican refused to confirm or deny the reports, which emphasized that any such exit would be private and depend on the state of the Argentine pontiff on Thursday. But it also seemed possible, given Francis’s emphasis on ministry to prisoners, especially during the Holy Year 2025, which began and will end with special papal events for inmates.
It is expected that the pope, who overcame a bout of bilateral pneumonia that endangered his life this winter, will make some appearances in the coming days. He made a surprise appearance at the end of the Palm Sunday Mass last weekend and, in recent days, has made some unannounced visits, including one where he was not dressed in his white papal cassock, to pray at St. Peter’s Basilica and at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, on the other side of the city.