Pope Francis presided at a ‘Way of the Cross’ service held in an empty Saint Peter’s Square on Friday because of the coronavirus outbreak and listened as both prisoners and their victims recounted their sorrows. It marked the first time the procession, commemorating the last hours in Jesus’ life, was not held at Rome’s ancient … Read more
Pope Francis was helped to his feet as he celebrated Good Friday mass in St Peter’s Basilica with no worshippers present as the Italian public obey strict lockdown rules triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. The head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State led the Good Friday Passion of the Lord with no … Read more
Boris Johnson is facing demands to overrule control-freak health chiefs today amid warnings ‘time is running out’ to scale up coronavirus testing. Sir Paul Nurse, chief executive of the Francis Crick Institute, urged the PM to summon the Dunkirk spirit and let ‘small ship’ labs start screening for the killer disease. Delivering a damning verdict … Read more
Pope Francis delivers first Urbi et Orbi global blessing outside of Christmas or Easter ‘for 2,000 years’ to fight coronavirus The ‘Urbi et Orbi’ blessing is rarely given outside Christmas and Easter times The Pope’s decision to give a special Urbi et Orbi blessing underlines the gravity of the pandemic, especially in Italy which has … Read more
Vatican worker who lives in the same residence as Pope Francis ‘tests positive for coronavirus’ Clergyman has lived at Saint Martha’s guest house in the Holy See for years Unnamed individual’s symptoms have caused him to be hospitalised in Rome Pontiff also works in Saint Martha’s guest house and takes his meals there Coronavirus symptoms: … Read more
Pope Francis was seen delivering his weekly Angelus prayer to an empty Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican City this morning, as Italians stay home to combat the spread of coronavirus. After presiding over Holy Mass from the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican Pope Francis shared a sombre message: ‘To the virus pandemic, we want to … Read more
Pope Francis defied Italian government advice to stay indoors and today walked to church through Rome’s deserted streets to pray for the end of coronavirus. The Catholic leader had earlier delivered a blessing from his balcony window above an eerily empty St Peter’s Square, which has been closed to worshippers as part of the country’s … Read more
Catholic priests kept their distance from Pope Francis over coronavirus fears today as Italy’s 3ft safety rule reached the Vatican. Francis held an audience in his private library with his clerical translators sitting a yard apart – the distance which Italy is demanding in public spaces to stop the spread of the virus. St Peter’s … Read more
Pope Francis will deliver Sunday prayers by livestream to keep crowds away from Saint Peter’s Square as Italy battles coronavirus The 83-year-old pontiff broke with centuries of tradition to live stream prayers Wants to prevent crowds going to Saint Peter’s Square for Angelus Prayer Coronavirus infections in Italy has jumped to 4,636, with 148 dead … Read more
Francis Bacon’s masterpiece Triptych Inspired By The Oresteia Of Aeschylus is expected to fetch more than £46million at auction A Francis Bacon masterpiece was unveiled at Sotheby’s in London yesterday The painting is expected to fetch well in excess of £46million in New York in May Bacon painted the piece in 1981, and depicts his … Read more