The Pope skips a homily during Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square

Pope Francis decided at the last minute to skip his sermon during Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, avoiding a grueling speech at the start of a busy Holy Week that will test his increasingly frail health.

Francis, who was suffering from knee pain and persistent respiratory problems, did not participate in the procession of the cardinals around the obelisk in the square at the beginning of the Mass. Instead, the 87-year-old pope blessed the palm fronds and olive branches that were carried. By the faithful from the altar.

Francis was expected to deliver a sermon midway through the service and a prepared text was distributed to journalists. But when an aide offered Francis his glasses to begin reading, the pope made it clear he would not be making the remarks, leaving the crowd to wait in silence.

Vatican officials did not immediately explain the reason. The Vatican press office later said the sermon was replaced by “a minute of silence and prayer.”

Despite this, the Pope said prayers throughout the Mass and made a long appeal for peace at the end of the Mass. He said he was praying for the families of those killed in what he described as an “inhuman” attack on a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow, and also asked for prayers for “martyr Ukraine” and the people of Gaza.

Vatican officials estimated that about 60,000 people attended the Mass, which was held under sunny spring skies. Francis spent several minutes receiving them from the papal car, and made several walks around the square at the end of the service.

Palm Sunday begins a busy week for Francis leading up to Easter when the faithful celebrate Christ's resurrection. On Thursday, Francis is scheduled to travel to a women's prison in Rome to perform a traditional foot-washing ritual. On Friday, he is scheduled to lead a torch-lit Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome to reenact the crucifixion of Christ.

The next day marks the Easter Vigil, with Francis presiding over a solemn night-time Mass in the cathedral, followed by an Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square and a noontime blessing from the loggia above.

The Holy Week schedule is a challenge for popes even under the best of circumstances. But that's especially true this year for Francis, who has been battling all winter what he and the Vatican have described as a case of influenza, bronchitis or a cold. During the past few weeks, he had sometimes asked one of his assistants to read aloud his speeches and catechisms to spare him the effort.

On Sunday, no substitute was called, and the sermon was skipped. Vatican officials said the prepared text should be considered non-existent at all. Normally, the Pope does not deliver a sermon on Easter, but he traditionally offers his reflections on Palm Sunday.

Even when he's not sick, Francis often speaks in a whisper and seems easily out of breath. He had part of one of his lungs removed when he was young due to a respiratory infection.

This time last year, he was hospitalized for three days with a severe case of bronchitis, but then recovered to get through Holy Week. He was hospitalized twice more during his pontificate for abdominal surgery, including a 10-day stay in 2021 to remove part of his large intestine.

At the end of the Mass, Francis offered a long prayer for peace for all those suffering from the war, and for the Lord to console the victims of the “despicable terrorist attack” in Moscow.

“May he guide the hearts of those who protect, organize and carry out these inhuman acts that offend God, who commanded us not to kill,” Francis said.

Without referring to Moscow, Pope Francis also asked the faithful not to forget Ukraine's suffering. He noted that many Ukrainians now live without electricity as a result of “intensive attacks on infrastructure, which bring not only death and suffering, but also the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe of even greater proportions.”

“Please do not forget the martyr Ukraine,” he said. “Let us also think about Gaza, which is suffering so much, and so many other places of war.”