Pope Francis to miss Good Friday procession

Pope Francis will not preside over Good Friday’s Way of the Cross event due to extremely cold weather in Rome, the Vatican has said.

Instead of presiding over the torch-led procession at the Colosseum, Francis will watch from the hotel where he lives in the Vatican.

The pontiff, who was recently treated in hospital for bronchitis, will still attend the Passion celebration at St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican added.

Francis, 86, was discharged from a Rome hospital on Saturday after treatment for bronchitis.

The Vatican said at the time that he would carry out the complete Holy Week schedule, including the Way of the Cross procession and Easter Sunday Mass in St Peter’s Square.

On Thursday, he presided over Mass in St Peter’s Basilica and later washed and dried the feet of a dozen residents of a Rome juvenile prison in a ritual symbolising humility.