Pentecost Sunday 2017 / © PHOTO.VA - OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Pentecost Sunday to Be Celebrated Without Faithful in St. Peter’s Basilica

Will However Resume Reciting Regina Caeli with (Socially Distant) Faithful at Noon

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Amid the pandemic of coronavirus worldwide, Pope Francis will celebrate Pentecost Sunday Mass without faithful inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Mass on May 31, 2020, at 10 am was announced by the Holy See Press Office yesterday.

“This Sunday, May 31, at 10:00 am,” it stated, “the Holy Father will celebrate Holy Mass on the day of Pentecost, without the participation of the faithful, at the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in the Vatican Basilica.”

“At 12:00, from his usual office window of Apostolic Palace, the recitation of the Regina Caeli prayer with the faithful in St. Peter’s Square will resume,” the note also shared.

“The police,” it underscored, “will guarantee safe access to the square and will ensure that the faithful present can respect the necessary interpersonal distance.”

This Regina Caeli appointment marks the first time the Pope will have not read his address from his private library since Italy’s long lockdown.

For the first time since mid-March, people were present in St. Peter’s Square on May 24, Ascension Sunday. They could follow the words of Pope Francis and the prayer on the jumbotrons. Pope Francis then blessed them from his window overlooking the Square.

 

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Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov is Senior Vatican & Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of 'The Other Francis' ('L'Altro Francesco') featuring interviews with those closest to the Pope and preface by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin (currently published in 5 languages); Deborah is also NBC & MSNBC Vatican Analyst. She often covers the Pope's travels abroad, often from the Papal Flight (including for historic trips such as to Abu Dhabi and Japan & Thailand), and has also asked him questions on the return-flight press conference on behalf of the English-speaking press present. Lubov has done much TV & radio commentary, including for NBC, Sky, EWTN, BBC, Vatican Radio, AP, Reuters and more. She also has contributed to various books on the Pope and has written for various Catholic publications. For 'The Other Francis': http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page219.html or https://www.amazon.com/Other-Francis-Everything-They-about/dp/0852449348/

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