Pope Francis held a somber Palm Sunday mass this weekend in front of an empty church, because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Catholic leader spoke inside of St. Peter’s Basilica this weekend, with only a small retinue of priests, nuns and a reduced choir to accompany him. Normally his Palm Sunday service draws tens of thousands of people and is held outdoors.
The pope tried to give Catholics a sense of hope this weekend with his Palm Sunday service, kicking off a lonesome Easter week for many. He spoke in the mostly empty church, St. Peter’s Basilica, accompanied only by the most necessary members of the clergy, according to a report by the Associated Press. Pope Francis‘ personal aides were on hand as well, sitting far apart from each other in the first few pews. Though they could not be there in person, worshippers could watch the pope’s speech online.
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“Today, in the tragedy of a pandemic, in the face of the many false securities that have now crumbled, in the face of so many hopes betrayed, in the sense of abandonment that weighs upon our hearts, Jesus says to each one of us: ‘Courage, open your heart to my love,’” he said. “The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less, to rediscover that life is of no use if not used to serve others.”
Pope Francis also urged people to hold on tight to “what really matters in our lives.” He then directed a message specifically to the young people, saying: “Dear friends, look at the real heroes who come to light these days: they are not famous, rich and successful people… They are those who are giving themselves in order to serve others. Feel called yourselves to put your lives on the line.”
Palm Sunday typically draws tens of thousands of people to Vatican City, including Romans, pilgrims and tourists. The service is usually held outdoors to accommodate their massive numbers, but even the over-sized church could not be filled this weekend due to Italy’s strict lockdown measures, which prevent public gatherings of any kind.
The Father upheld Jesus in his service. He did not take away the evil that crushed him, but rather strengthened him in his suffering so that our evil could be overcome by good, by a love that loves to the very end. #PalmSunday https://t.co/oHLhN4fXGI
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) April 5, 2020
This is the first of a handful of services comprising Easter Week. It is usually followed by other rituals that are sadly not feasible this year, including the Good Friday Way of the Cross procession. Instead of the usual candlelit walk at the Roman Colosseum, this year’s Way of the Cross will reportedly be presided over in St. Peter’s Square by Pope Francis himself.
The Vatican has seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its residents and employees so far. The small city state is adhering to strict social distancing practices in the hopes of mitigating the outbreak, just like everywhere else. For the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, visit the CDC’s website.
