[THEHILL] Pope Francis...Argentine liberation theologist, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was elected pope in 2013. Rather than setting up shop in Avignon, where he belongs, the first Jesuit Pope chose to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse instead of the papal apartments. He is big on climate change, against consumerism, and in favor of throwing a blanket over homosexual activity within the clergy. He's not real sure about the Resurrection, about Christ's divinity, and a few other things that would have gotten him burned at the stake a few hundred years ago, but he's hot for a certain South American Earth Mother Goddess...
announced Sunday that he will offer his "Urbi et Orbi" special blessing Friday as the coronavirus
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
pandemic continues worldwide.
The pope said he plans to offer the blessing traditionally only given at Christmas and Easter this Friday as the COVID-19 outbreak has infected hundreds of thousands and disrupted societies around the globe, Rooters reported.
He made his announcement in his weekly Angelus message, which is typically given in St. Peter’s Square, which has been closed off to the public. The pope instead delivered his message from inside the Vatican and online.
Friday’s blessing will be delivered in an empty St. Peter’s Square. Catholics can receive a special indulgence in person or online, which is a remission of punishment for sins.
The pope also requested Christians around the world say the "Our Father" prayer at noon Italian time.
"We want to respond to the pandemic of the virus with the universality of prayer, of compassion, of tenderness," he said, according to Rooters. "Let’s remain united".
The change in tradition reflects the significance of the pandemic, Rooters noted. Italia, which encompasseds Vatican City, has the most recorded deaths of any country, including China where the virus is believed to have originated. Italia has counted more than 59,000 cases and 5,476 deaths.