Pope Francis set to deliver Sunday prayers via livestream amid Coronavirus scare

Pope Francis is all set to deliver the Angelus prayer scheduled for March 8 by live stream amid the rising Coronavirus scare. The move comes after Vatican city reported its first positive case on March 6. The Pope usually delivers the prayer from his window overlooking Saint Peter’s Square.

The Vatican in a public statement on March 7 confirmed the news saying that the prayer will be broadcast via livestream by Vatican news and on screens in Saint Peter’s square. According to reports, the Vatican has promised to review the pontiff’s schedule to avoid “dissemination” of the Coronavirus. This comes after Pope Francis tested negative for the novel Coronavirus after the health condition of the 83-year-old triggered fear of a possible infection, reported an Italian newspaper.

The Pope had skipped the week-long Lenten spiritual retreat with senior Vatican officials near Rome for the first time in his papacy since his election in 2013.

Read: Pope Francis Tests Negative For Coronavirus After Skipping Spiritual Retreat

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Pope tests negative for COVID-19

The Vatican said that the decision to skip the retreat was a last-minute one considering the health of the Pope who was seen coughing and sneezing during his first public appearance in four days. The Vatican had earlier said that Pope Francis was suffering from “slight indisposition” that forced him to avoid public appearance.

The Pope was battling an apparent cold that led to the cancellation of several official engagements and finally appeared on March 1 where he said that a cold prevented him to participate in the retreat. The Vatican did not reveal the nature of Pope's illness, however, his illness was reported amid alarm in Italy over the coronavirus outbreak.

While speaking to an international media outlet, Matteo Bruni dismissed the speculations that the Pope was anything more than slightly unwell. He reportedly said that there is no evidence that would lead to diagnosing anything but a “slight indisposition”. Bruni has not officially confirmed the report on Pope Francis regarding the coronavirus.

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