Pope Francis has February 28 postponed his official appointments and would be working from home a day after cancelling a scheduled appearance at mass because of a ‘mild ailment.’
The Vatican said this after the Pope prayed and expressed solidarity with people suffering from coronavirus.
According to the UK Mirror, the pontiff prayed for coronavirus sufferers on Ash Wednesday, while mask free, and even took time to shake hands and kiss worshipers, including a child, in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
Pope Francis, 83, was however seen blowing his nose and coughing during the Ash Wednesday service, a day after meeting with coronavirus sufferers.
Chief press officer, Matteo Bruni in a statement said;
He celebrated morning mass as usual and greeted participants at the end, but cleared his diary of everything apart from meetings at the Saint Martha’s guest house at the Vatican he lives.
The decision to cancel public appointments for the second day in a row came as Italy grapples with the largest outbreak of the coronavirus in Europe, with some 650 cases and 17 deaths.
The Vatican made no reference to the spreading Coronavirus in its announcement.
