Pope Francis was seen coughing a day after expressing his “closeness” to coronavirus victims in Italy.
“I wish, again, to express my closeness to those who are ill with coronavirus and to healthcare workers who are caring for them,” Francis said during a general audience in St. Peter’s Square before Ash Wednesday mass. The comment was prompted by the presence of several people in the audience wearing protective masks, according to Rome Reports.
The Vatican reported that Francis developed a “slight indisposition” on Thursday and that he canceled a planned mass at St. John Lateran Basilica. The nature of the pope’s illness was not specified.
Although Italy has become center for coronavirus outbreaks in Europe, with more than 440 cases reported, Rome has been largely free of illness. Only three cases have been reported in Rome, and all have recovered, according to the New York Post. Globally, over 80,000 cases have been reported.
Francis forewent the precautions that many other Catholic churches took in celebrating Ash Wednesday. As he rode through the square, the pope kissed the forehead of a child and shook the hands of many people gathered in the audience, a departure from his usual wave.
Meanwhile, in Venice, Ash Wednesday mass at St. Mark’s Basilica was canceled after several people in the city tested positive for the virus. The northern Italian cities Venice and Milan are the center for the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
