epaselect epa08278033 A view of empty chairs at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, 08 March 2020. Pope Francis (on screen) decided to lead the weekly Sunday Angelus prayer from within the library of the Apostolic Palace, which was broadcast through livestreaming technology, amid the ongoing coronavirus epidemic ravaging Italy. Italian authorities have taken the drastic measure of shutting off the entire northern Italian region of Lombardy – home to about 16 million people – in a bid to halt the ongoing coronavirus epidemic in the Mediterranean country. The number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Italy has jumped up to at least 5,883, while the death toll has surpassed 230, making Italy the nation with the third-highest number of infections (behind China and South Korea) and the second-highest death toll after China. EPA/RICCARDO ANTIMIANI|
foto EPA
People stand on St. Peter's Square ahead of the live-broadcasting of Pope Francis' Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican on March 8, 2020, after millions of people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus that is sweeping the globe. - On top of the forced quarantine of 15 million people in vast areas of northern Italy until April 3, the government has also closed schools, nightclubs and casinos throughout the country, according to the text of the decree published on the government website. With more than 230 fatalities, Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak began in December. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)|
foto AFP
epa08278297 Tourists and Catholic faithful, with some of them wearing medical face masks, gather at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, 08 March 2020. Pope Francis decided to lead the weekly Sunday Angelus prayer from within the library of the Apostolic Palace, which was broadcast through livestreaming technology, amid the ongoing coronavirus epidemic ravaging Italy. Italian authorities have taken the drastic measure of shutting off the entire northern Italian region of Lombardy – home to about 16 million people – in a bid to halt the ongoing coronavirus epidemic in the Mediterranean country. The number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Italy has jumped up to at least 5,883, while the death toll has surpassed 230, making Italy the nation with the third-highest number of infections (behind China and South Korea) and the second-highest death toll after China. EPA/RICCARDO ANTIMIANI|
foto EPA
epa08278031 Tourists and Catholic faithful wearing medical face masks watch a giant screen installed at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, 08 March 2020. Pope Francis (onscreen) decided to lead the weekly Sunday Angelus prayer from within the library of the Apostolic Palace, which was broadcast through livestreaming technology, amid the ongoing coronavirus epidemic ravaging Italy. Italian authorities have taken the drastic measure of shutting off the entire northern Italian region of Lombardy – home to about 16 million people – in a bid to halt the ongoing coronavirus epidemic in the Mediterranean country. The number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Italy has jumped up to at least 5,883, while the death toll has surpassed 230, making Italy the nation with the third-highest number of infections (behind China and South Korea) and the second-highest death toll after China. EPA/RICCARDO ANTIMIANI|
foto EPA
epa08278296 Tourists and Catholic faithful gather at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, 08 March 2020. Pope Francis decided to lead the weekly Sunday Angelus prayer from within the library of the Apostolic Palace, which was broadcast through livestreaming technology, amid the ongoing coronavirus epidemic ravaging Italy. Italian authorities have taken the drastic measure of shutting off the entire northern Italian region of Lombardy – home to about 16 million people – in a bid to halt the ongoing coronavirus epidemic in the Mediterranean country. The number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Italy has jumped up to at least 5,883, while the death toll has surpassed 230, making Italy the nation with the third-highest number of infections (behind China and South Korea) and the second-highest death toll after China. EPA/RICCARDO ANTIMIANI|
foto EPA
A couple takes selfie pictures in front of a screen live-broadcasting Pope Francis' Sunday Angelus prayer on St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on March 8, 2020, after millions of people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus that is sweeping the globe. - On top of the forced quarantine of 15 million people in vast areas of northern Italy until April 3, the government has also closed schools, nightclubs and casinos throughout the country, according to the text of the decree published on the government website. With more than 230 fatalities, Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak began in December. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)|
foto AFP
Pope Francis waves to the faithfuls from his window after the live-broadcast of his Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican on March 8, 2020, after millions of people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus that is sweeping the globe. - On top of the forced quarantine of 15 million people in vast areas of northern Italy until April 3, the government has also closed schools, nightclubs and casinos throughout the country, according to the text of the decree published on the government website. With more than 230 fatalities, Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak began in December. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)|
foto AFP
O Papa Francisco rezou hoje pela primeira vez a tradicional oração dominical através de vídeo conferência, mas disse estar "perto" dos infetados com o novo coronavírus e dos seus cuidadores.
O pontífice reconheceu ser "um pouco estranha" a oração feita hoje de "uma gaiola da sua biblioteca" privada, em vez da tradicional missa celebrada da varanda do Palácio Apostólico, no Vaticano.
"Mas vejo-vos, estou perto de vós", afirmou.
No final da homilia, o Papa dirigiu-se à janela do palácio para cumprimentar os fiéis que hoje seguiram a missa através dos écrans montados na Praça de São Pedro.
Após a oração, o Papa mandou uma mensagem aos afetados pelo coronavírus em todo o mundo: "Estou perto da oração para com as pessoas que sofrem da atual epidemia de coronavírus e para com todos aqueles que cuidam deles".
"Que este tempo de Quaresma nos ajude a dar um significado evangélico também a este momento de julgamento", defendeu.
Foi a primeira vez que o pontífice recitou a oração de domingo em direto via vídeo e não pela sua janela, uma medida anunciada no sábado para "evitar o risco de disseminação" do coronavírus.
No entanto, muitos fiéis vieram ouvi-lo à Praça de São Pedro através dos ecrãs.
Hoje, ninguém foi submetido a verificações de segurança, porque tal provocaria filas que iriam dificultar a manutenção da distância de segurança de um metro entre as pessoas.
Durante a missa, o Papa pediu também aos fiéis que rezem com ele pelo "povo sírio e, especialmente, pelo povo do noroeste do país forçado a fugir".
"Reitero a minha grande apreensão pela situação desumana destas pessoas indefesas, entre elas tantas crianças que arriscam as suas vidas. Não devemos desviar o olhar para esta crise humanitária", insistiu, elogiando as associações que ajudam os sírios.