Coronavirus: Pope will hold mass by video to prevent spread of the disease

Pope Francis will pronounce on Sunday from his library the traditional angelus prayer, which will be broadcast live by video, and not in his window in front of St. Peter's Square, announced the Vatican on Saturday, 7, to "avoid risks of diffusion" of coronavirus. "The prayer will be relayed by live video ... on the screens in St. Peter's Square to allow the participation of the faithful," the Vatican statement said.

This decision "was necessary to avoid the risks of the spread of Covid-19 when agglomerations are formed during access controls to St. Peter's Square," according to the Vatican. The pope's weekly wednesday audience "will be held under the same conditions."

In addition, until Sunday the 15th, masses in Santa Marta, the pope's residence in the Vatican, are cancelled. For more than a week, the 83-year-old pope, a spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics, has not left his residence, located just steps from St. Peter's Basilica. Vatican City, the world's smallest state, announced its first case of coronavirus on Friday.