Pope Francis today urged Catholic priests to visit people suffering from coronavirus despite a ban on most travel across Italy.
Francis prayed that clergymen would ‘have the courage to go out and go to the sick people’ as he celebrated Mass by himself at the Vatican this morning.
The service in the chapel of Francis’ residence was live-streamed by the Vatican today, with the 83-year-old pontiff avoiding public gatherings.
Italy has imposed tough new quarantine rules nationwide, including a ban on most travel, but there are limited exceptions for ‘urgent’ work and health reasons.
Pope Francis gathers his thoughts during a live-streamed Mass at his Vatican guest house today, which he celebrated alone
The Pope celebrates Mass in an empty chapel this morning, a week after the 83-year-old pontiff cancelled a series of events over health fears
In his homily today, Francis prayed for Italy’s thousands of sick patients and the doctors and nurses who are caring for them.
‘Let us pray to the Lord also for our priests, that they may have the courage to go out and go to the sick people bringing the strength of God’s word and the Eucharist and accompany the health workers and volunteers in this work that they are doing,’ Francis said.
His service today, held in the chapel of the Santa Marta guest house where he lives, came just hours after Italy extended its quarantine measures to the whole country.
Travel across Italy is only allowed for ‘urgent, verifiable work situations and emergencies or health reasons’, according to a decree signed by Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte last night.
‘Necessities’ such as grocery shopping are allowed but it is unclear whether a clerical visit would belong to that category.
People who want to travel will need to fill in a document explaining their reasons for doing so and carry it with them.
If they are found to have lied they face fines or jail terms, but the restrictions will generally work on an honour system.
Public transport will remain operational, but Conte says he wants as many people as possible to stay at home.
Francis holds up a Communion wafer during his solitary Mass at the Vatican this morning where he urged priests to visit coronavirus sufferers
The pontiff leans towards the altar at today’s Mass in a chapel of the Santa Marta guest house at the Vatican where he lives
Francis sits during this morning’s Mass at the Vatican, a city-state surrounded entirely by Italy which has imposed tough new quarantine measures
The pope last week cancelled a series of engagements after suffering from a cold during an Ash Wednesday service.
Fears were raised after Francis was pictured hugging and kissing members of the public after speaking with a hoarse voice and blowing his nose in church.
However, the pontiff is thought to have tested negative for coronavirus last week.
He resumed some private meetings yesterday, including with bishops from France and two departing ambassadors.
Francis has enjoyed generally good health, although he had part of one lung removed as a younger man.
The Vatican, which is surrounded by Rome, has imposed restrictions on movement and contact among its personnel in a bid to contain the virus.
One person inside Vatican City has tested positive and five people who came into contact with that person are under precautionary quarantine.
The Vatican Museums are also closed, including the Sistine Chapel, in yet another blow to Italy’s valuable tourism industry.
St Peter’s Square, the centrepiece of the Vatican, was almost empty today with only a few dozen people walking around, most of them without masks.
Italy registered 1,807 more confirmed cases as of Monday evening, for a national total of 9,172.
The number of dead in Italy also increased by 97 to 463 – most of them elderly with previous ailments.