A Pope who
appeared in stronger health
than on Sunday, when he interrupted his homily with a long silence, which he did not have a collaborator read, asked priests to free themselves from selfishness and ambitions
in the Holy Thursday mass
that remembers the institution of the priestly sacraments during the Last Supper of the passion and death of Jesus.
From this Thursday until Sunday, Holy Week enters its climax in the so-called Easter Triduum. The commemoration of the sacrament of the priests, in which Christ offered “eat this bread that is my body, drink this wine that is my blood”, implies in practice the birth of the ecclesiastical institution.
The Easter Triduum, step by step
The Easter Triduum began with the Last Supper, on Friday it reaches its most dramatic moment with the death of Christ on the cross and concludes on Sunday
with the resurrection of the Son of God.
This Thursday the ceremonies began in St. Peter's Basilica with the blessing of the
sacred oils
that are used during the year for baptisms, confirmations and anointings of the sick, which
will be used in the Vatican celebrations.
The Pope presides at Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Photo: ANSA
The Pope read
a long message to the priests
and did so without difficulty, appearing in good physical shape. He reflected on the need for members of the Church to show compunction and tears in their behavior, to “feel more of a brother to all the sinners of the world,” without a hint of superiority “but with the desire to love and repair.”
Francis told the priests that they must show solidarity “because a docile heart, liberated by the spirit of the Beatitudes, and inclined to make compunction for the rest,
instead of being angry or scandalized
by the evil committed by its brothers, cries for their sins.” ”.
“The Lord does not ask us for derogatory judgments about those who do not believe, but
for love and tears
for those who are far away,” added the Pope.
The Lord does not ask us for derogatory judgments about those who do not believe, but for love and tears for those who are far away.
Pope Francisco
Bergoglio told the half million Catholic priests of the Church that “the difficult situations that we see and live, the lack of faith, the sufferings that we touch when coming into contact with a broken heart, do not arouse determination in controversy, but rather perseverance.” in mercy.”
The Argentine Pope thanked the priests of the Church "for their open and docile hearts (...) Thank you for your efforts and your tears and for bringing the wonder of God's mercy to the brothers and sisters of our time."
Francis indicated that “we need to free ourselves from resistance and recriminations, from selfishness and ambitions to entrust ourselves and intercede before God, finding in him a peace that saves from any storm.”
The Pope goes to the Rebibbia prison. Photo: AP
The day was completed in
the female section of the Roman prison of Rebibbia
, to celebrate the mass of the “Lord's Supper” on Holy Thursday, and after which
the Pope washed the feet of 12 inmates,
as Jesus did to the apostles during The Last Supper.
A novelty on Good Friday
Good Friday will have a special novelty. The Pope will preside over the
Via Crucis
at the Roman Coliseum, which he was unable to attend last year due to the cold. The tradition of the comments on each station of Calvary of the Son of God is,
for the first time in memory, the fruit of the inspiration of Francis himself
, who wrote them.
On Holy Saturday, the Pope
will officiate the Easter Vigil
and on Sunday, in the Plaza de San Pedo,
he will officiate the Mass of Resurrection
before a crowd. He will also pronounce the Urbi et Orbi blessing, to the city of Rome and to the entire world, which will end Holy Week in 2024.