The Vatican's Holy Week ceremonies will go ahead but without public attendance as Italy tries to contain the coronavirus outbreak, the Holy See said Sunday.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement that “as far as Holy Week liturgical celebrations are concerned, I can specify that all are confirmed.”
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The Vatican's Holy Week ceremonies will go ahead but without public attendance as Italy tries to contain the coronavirus outbreak, the Holy See said Sunday.
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on April 5, culminating on Easter Sunday a week later, with tradition calling for an outdoor Masses in St. Peter's Square on both Sundays. Tens of thousands of faithful usually turn out for the celebration.
In any case, virus fears and travel restrictions by many countries toward Italy have made tourism virtually vanish.
Some churches in Italy are being allowed to stay open for individual prayer, but all public Masses are forbidden during lockdown to discourage crowding.
Francis did single out for praise the Milan archbishop, who last week went atop the roof of the city's iconic Duomo, or cathedral, to pray alone before a statue of the Madonna.
Holy water bowls have been emptied. In one Madrid church, a confession room has been prepared since the usual confessional booths would mean the priest would be too close.
“It is a difficult situation and it cuts into our church life,” Munich’s Catholic archbishop, Reinhard Marx, said last week. But he added: “This is not the end of prayer and pastoral care will still be there and present in urgent cases.”
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But Bruni added: “As things stand, under study are the ways they would be carried out and who would participate while respecting the security measures put in place to avoid spread of the coronavirus.” He added that in any case, faithful will be able to follow the ceremonies on TV, radio and through online media.
Pope Francis delivers his blessing from inside the Apostolic library at the Vatican, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Pope Francis has praised people who could risk contagion to help the poor and the homeless even as fears of coronavirus spread prompts ever more countries to restrict ways of everyday life. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (Vatican News via AP)
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on April 5, culminating on Easter Sunday a week later, with tradition calling for an outdoor Masses in St. Peter's Square on both Sundays. Tens of thousands of faithful usually turn out for the celebration.
Italy is under severe lockdown, with the public restricted from leaving their homes except to buy food, go to work or a few other urgent reasons, and when outside must stay at least one meter (about three feet) away from each other. The disease for most people causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness.
It is not clear if the Italian decree’s restrictions will be extended well into April. But fear of spreading the virus could also jeopardize the traditional Way of the Cross procession on Good Friday on April 10 at the Colosseum, even without the public.
Pope Francis delivers his blessing from inside the Apostolic library at the Vatican, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Pope Francis has praised people who could risk contagion to help the poor and the homeless even as fears of coronavirus spread prompts ever more countries to restrict ways of everyday life. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (Vatican News via AP)
In any case, virus fears and travel restrictions by many countries toward Italy have made tourism virtually vanish.
With St. Peter's Square closed to the public, and one case of infection reported by the Vatican recently, Pope Francis on Sunday delivered his traditional weekly commentary and blessing from the Apostolic Library instead of from a window overlooking the vast square.
Francis praised priests for “creativity” in tending to their flocks, especially in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy, where thousands are hospitalized or in quarantine. He said their efforts demonstrated there are “a thousand ways to be near” to the faithful, if not physically.
Pope Francis delivers his blessing from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday March 15, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino)
Some churches in Italy are being allowed to stay open for individual prayer, but all public Masses are forbidden during lockdown to discourage crowding.
Francis didn't cite the Rev. Giuseppe Corbari, pastor of San Robbiano church in the town of Giussano, 10 kilometers (six miles) from Milan, but he well could have.
Corbari printed all the selfies he received from faithful and attached them to the church pews, offering a vivid reminder of the powerful sense of community among Catholics.
Pope Francis leaves after delivering his blessing from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday March 15, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino)
Francis did single out for praise the Milan archbishop, who last week went atop the roof of the city's iconic Duomo, or cathedral, to pray alone before a statue of the Madonna.
As Spain followed Italy into lockdown mode to try and contain its own rapidly growing cases of COVID-19, churches in that similarly predominantly Roman Catholic country adopted measures akin to those done in Italy a few weeks ago.
In Spain, faithful are allowed in the main chapel to pray but are given instructions to keep apart.
A Catholic worshipper using protective gloves prays with a rosary beads at the Santa Maria de Cana parish in Pozuelo de Alarcon, outskirts Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Pope Francis has praised people for their continuing efforts to help vulnerable communities, including the poor and the homeless, amid the coronavirus pandemic. The vast majority of people recover from the COVID-19. According to the World Health Organization, most people recover in about two to six weeks, depending on the severity of the illness. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Holy water bowls have been emptied. In one Madrid church, a confession room has been prepared since the usual confessional booths would mean the priest would be too close.
In Germany, measures varied depending on the church and region.
In heavily Catholic Bavaria, for example, the archdiocese of Munich canceled services through April 3, while the dioceses of Bamberg and Regensburg have restricted services to 100 people. The Lutheran church in the region plans to continue offering services, but with a larger space between worshippers.
A Catholic worshipper using protective gloves prays with a rosary beads at the Santa Maria de Cana parish in Pozuelo de Alarcon, outskirts Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Pope Francis has praised people for their continuing efforts to help vulnerable communities, including the poor and the homeless, amid the coronavirus pandemic. The vast majority of people recover from the COVID-19. According to the World Health Organization, most people recover in about two to six weeks, depending on the severity of the illness. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
“It is a difficult situation and it cuts into our church life,” Munich’s Catholic archbishop, Reinhard Marx, said last week. But he added: “This is not the end of prayer and pastoral care will still be there and present in urgent cases.”
Luca Bruno in Giussano, Italy, Geir Moulson in Berlin, and Iain Sullivan in Madrid, contributed to this report.
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Catholic priest Catholic priest Jesus Higueras from the Santa Maria de Cana parish is seen on a smartphone during a live video streamed mass in Pozuelo de Alarcon, outskirts Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Pope Francis has praised people for their continuing efforts to help vulnerable communities, including the poor and the homeless, amid the coronavirus pandemic. The vast majority of people recover from the COVID-19. According to the World Health Organization, most people recover in about two to six weeks, depending on the severity of the illness. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Robbiano Church parson, Don Giuseppe Corbari, poses in front of selfies he was sent by parishioners as Masses for the faithful have been suspended following Italy's coronavirus emergency, in Giussano, northern Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (AP PhotoLuca Bruno)