Volkswacht Bodensee - Convalescing Pope Francis aims to give Easter blessing: Vatican

The 88-year-old Catholic leader returned to the Vatican on Sunday after spending five weeks in Rome's Gemelli hospital, with doctors warning he needed at least two months of convalescence.

His fragile health has raised questions about his participation in celebrations for Easter, the holiest period in the Christian calendar, which culminates on April 20.

The calendar for liturgical celebrations for the period, published by the Vatican on Thursday, makes no mention of the pope's presence but does include the solemn blessing "Urbi et Orbi" (To the City and the World).

This is traditionally given by the pope from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica on Easter Sunday and on Christmas Day, and cannot be delegated to anyone else -- though it could be delivered differently, for example in a live-stream video.

The Vatican confirmed that Holy Week celebrations, including the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome, would go ahead but did not specify who would preside over them.

Since Francis went into hospital, senior cardinals have taken his place in leading masses.

The Vatican press office said the pope's Easter events would be decided based on the evolution of his health "in the coming weeks".

The canonisation on April 27 of Carlo Acutis, the world's first millennial saint, who died in 2006 aged 15, is still on the agenda. Only a pope can declare someone a saint.

- Not as before -

Francis nearly died twice during his time in hospital, according to his doctors.

He appeared on the Gemelli balcony last Sunday shortly before he was discharged, his first public appearance since February 14, and thanked hundreds of people gathered below in a weak voice.

His hospitalisation was the most serious health scare for the pope, the spiritual leader of more than 1.4 billion Catholics, since he became pontiff in March 2013.

Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin told journalists Thursday that Francis was taking orders to rest seriously.

"The pope is resting, he is not seeing anybody," he said, according to the ANSA news agency.

"I think it's important that he finds time to recover little by little, and this is the only way -- to stay calm, and not carry out any activity, especially in public," he added.

Francis had previously left open the door to resigning if his health deteriorated significantly, following the example of his predecessor Benedict XVI, who quit in 2013 citing his declining mental and physical health.

But Parolin has dismissed speculation the Argentine might now resign, and said Thursday that he was continually receiving messages from people praying for Francis's return to leading the Church.

"Perhaps not as before, we need to find different ways of doing it, but he is still able to do it," Parolin said.

M.Betschart--VB