Pope Francis condemned the attack on a concert hall near Moscow, describing it as a "sordid" act that angers God, and he prayed for the victims. The Pope stated in St. Peter's Square after the Mass: "My prayers and thoughts are for the victims of the sordid terrorist attack in Moscow. We ask the Lord to grant them peace, comfort their families, and touch the hearts of those who carry out these inhumane acts that anger God."
Pope Francis skipped reading his homily during the Palm Sunday Mass in front of tens of thousands at St. Peter's Square but continued to lead the prayers. In recent weeks, the 87-year-old Pope has suffered from bronchitis and the flu, which he has since recovered from, and he has tasked assistants with reading his speeches on his behalf. However, the prepared text of his homily was not read today. It is highly unusual for the Pope to completely skip delivering a homily at a significant event like Palm Sunday.
