Catholics prepare for an unusual Easter, with Pope Francis out of view

By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Catholic Church starts its busiest week of the year on Sunday with the countdown to Easter, but Pope Francis remains out of public view after surviving double pneumonia and it is unclear whether he will take any part in the celebrations.

Doctors have prescribed the 88-year-old pontiff two months of rest to allow his ageing body to fully heal, meaning he may spend much or all of Holy Week - when Christians recall Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection - out of public view.

"This will certainly be a very different Holy Week for the pope and for the Catholic faithful," said Anna Rowlands, a Catholic academic at England's Durham University.

"The near silence of the pope... could intensify the meaning of parts of the week for many," she said.

The pope would normally preside over at least eight Vatican ceremonies during Holy Week, culminating in Easter Sunday Mass, when tens of thousands of people flock into St. Peter's Square to celebrate the day they believe Jesus rose from the dead.

Vatican officials are still unsure whether Francis, who came close to death in hospital, may try to make brief appearances, or partake in some of the events via a video link.

Rev. Bruce Morrill, a Jesuit priest and academic at Vanderbilt University in the U.S., said the pope's "perseverance and transparency in his infirmity brings a new poignancy" to the holiday.

"It could be that people will draw strength and inspiration of a different type with the pope's limited presence to this year's Holy Week services," he said.

Francis, pontiff since 2013, has appeared in public only once since being discharged on March 23 after a 38-day stay in hospital, making a short, surprise appearance to greet crowds at the Vatican on April 6.

The pope spent only a few minutes in St. Peter's Square and spoke only a few words in a frail voice.

His possible participation in events during Holy Week will be determined on an event-by-event basis, the Vatican press office said on Tuesday.

'WRITTEN REFLECTIONS'

The Vatican's Holy Week calendar includes special celebrations on April 17 for Holy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus' Last Supper; on April 18 for Good Friday, the day Christians mark Jesus' crucifixion; and on April 19 for an evening Easter vigil service.

The Vatican is yet to say who will lead each service. Officials expect senior cardinals to fill in for the pope as needed.

Francis skipped the Good Friday events in 2023 and 2024 due to prior health issues. He has not previously missed an Easter celebration, when he usually also offers a major speech.

Delivered as part of a twice-yearly special blessing called "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world), the pontiff typically uses the occasion to decry ongoing world conflicts.

The Vatican has been publishing occasional messages said to be written by Francis during his recovery. Officials have also been reading aloud homilies written by him during Vatican celebrations.

"If he is still resting as expected, it seems that his service to the Church will be one of prayer and written reflections," said Rowlands.

"I suspect... he will have much he wishes to pen, even if read in the voice of others, about suffering, limitation, violence and loss and the path to Resurrection," she said.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Gareth Jones)