Pope skips Palm Sunday homily but continues service

Pope Francis attends the Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, March 24, 2024. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis skipped reading his homily during a Palm Sunday Mass for tens of thousands of people St. Peter's Square but continued presiding at the service.

In recent weeks the 87-year-old pope has been suffering on and off from bronchitis and influenza in recent weeks and has delegated an aide to read his addresses for him but on Sunday his prepared text was not read at all.

It is very unusual for a pope to totally skip a homily at a major event such as Palm Sunday.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella, Editing by Louise Heavens)