Candle bearers stopped to light candles of the congregants as they walked down the central aisle, spreading flickers of light through the dark basilica before the lights went up as the pope arrived at the baroque main altar, followed by cardinals dressed in white. During Leo's first Holy Week, which is notoriously demanding, the pontiff carried the cross for the entire 14 stations during the Way of the Cross on Good Friday, the first time a pope has done so for decades. On Sunday morning, Leo will celebrate an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square before delivering his Easter message and offer the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” message “to the city (of Rome) and the world," which acts as a summary of the world's woes.
Author: The Associated Press
Published at: 2026-04-04 21:37:40
Still want to read the full version? Full article
