Pope Francis to Participate in Easter Vigil Mass

The Vatican announced today, Saturday, that Pope Francis is scheduled to participate in the Easter Vigil Mass as planned, after his last-minute cancellation of participation in the Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome. A statement from the Vatican mentioned that the evening Mass at St. Peter's Cathedral will be the pope's only public engagement today. The Church celebrates Easter tomorrow, Sunday, which is its most important event in the calendar. Pope Francis will lead the Easter Sunday Mass during the day, and he will deliver his "Message to the City and the World," which he gives twice a year, from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.