Pope Francis has withdrawn from the Good Friday procession, citing health reasons, the Vatican announced just before the ceremony, reported AFP.
The decision not to attend appeared last-minute as Pope Francis’ chair was already in place on the platform where he was supposed to preside over the rite.
The Vatican released a statement explaining that Pope Francis decided to skip the procession to “preserve his health” ahead of other Easter events. Instead, he will observe from the Santa Marta Residence where he lives.
This comes after the Pope missed a similar ceremony last year due to bronchitis.
For the past few weeks, the pope has been requesting an aide to read his homilies. This year also marks the first time that the pope skipped his homily during Palm Sunday, raising concerns about his health.
Read: Pope Francis skips Palm Sunday homily
