Pope Francis

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2020-05/pope-celebrates-mass-for-anniversary-of-birth-of-john-paul-ii.html
Pope Francis: St John Paul II a man of prayer, closeness, justice
18 May 2020, 08:01

Celebrating Mass on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Karol Wojtyla, the future St John Paul II, Pope Francis described his predecessor as a man of prayer, closeness, and justice.
By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of St John Paul II by offering Holy Mass at the altar where the Polish Pope is buried in St Peter’s Basilica.

Joined by a very limited number of the faithful, the liturgy on Monday morning was the first Mass open to the public after almost two months of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Lord has visited His People

Pope Francis began his homily by reminding us that God loves His People, and in times of difficulty “visits” them by sending a holy man or a prophet.

In the life of Pope John Paul II, we can see a man sent by God, prepared by Him, and made Bishop and Pope to guide God’s Church. “Today, we can say that the Lord visited His people”.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/saint-faustina-kowalska-roman-calendar-universal-feast.html

Pope Francis adds feast of Saint Faustina to Roman Calendar
18 May 2020, 12:49

Pope Francis makes the feast of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska an optional memorial for the universal Church, celebrated on 5 October.
By Vatican News

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued a decree on Monday, 18 May, inscribing the celebration of Saint Maria Faustina (Helena) Kowalska, virgin, in the General Roman Calendar.

The decree – issued on behalf of Pope Francis – came on the same day as the Church marks 100 years since the birth of Karol Wojtyla. The future Pope St. John Paul II canonized St. Faustina in the year 2000.

Her optional memorial will be celebrated around the world on 5 October.

Below please find the official English-language translation of the decree:
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/juneau-anchorage-diocese-andrew-bellisario.html

Pope merges Dioceses of Anchorage and Juneau and names first bishop
19 May 2020, 14:33

Pope Francis makes the Archdiocese of Anchorage and the Diocese of Juneau one ecclesiastical territory of Anchorage-Juneau (United States) and appoints Bishop Andrew Bellisario, CM, Apostolic Administrator of Anchorage as its first Metropolitan Archbishop.
By Vatican News

On Tuesday afternoon, it was announced that Pope Francis has merged the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska, with the Diocese of Juneau. The new Archdocese of Anchorage-

Juneau will be led by its first Archbishop, Andrew Bellisario, Bishop of the Diocese of Juneau and Apostolic Administrator of Anchorage.

Andrew Eugene Bellisario was born in 1956 in Los Angeles, California. He attended primary school at St Stephen's Elementary School in Monterey Park, California.
 

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https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/12943/st-peter-s-in-rome-reopens-to-the-public

19 May 2020, The Tablet
St Peter's in Rome reopens to the public
by Cindy Wooden, CNS

Almost 10 weeks after St Peter's Basilica was closed to the public in cooperation with Italy's Covid-19 lockdown measures, the faithful and tourists were allowed back in yesterday.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass at 7 am at the tomb of St John Paul II to mark the 100th anniversary of the Polish pope's birth. Then, at 8 am, the general public was admitted.

The basilica was sanitised in preparation for the reopening. It had been closed to the public since March 10.

On the edge of St. Peter's Square, a sign advises visitors they must wear a mask and stay 2 meters away from others in order to enter the basilica.

The Vatican sanitation service placed hand-sanitiser dispensers at the end of the colonnade surrounding St Peter's Square.

From there, the public finds "keep your distance" labels and tape on the cobblestone path leading to the health and security checks before entering the basilica.

At the end of the path, two members of the Knights of Malta dressed in white, lightweight hazmat suits point a small thermoscanner at the visitor's forehead. If the person does not have a fever, he or she can proceed to the line for the metal detectors.

After the security check and before entering the church, visitors find another hand-sanitiser dispenser.

While many of the people attending the Mass celebrated by Pope Francis were not wearing masks, once the celebration was over, Vatican security began enforcing the face-mask requirement and breaking up any situation where it looked like people were standing close to each other to talk, including journalists trying to interview some of the first people inside.
 

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https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/05/vatican-launches-year-long-celebration-of-laudato-si/

Vatican launches year-long celebration of Laudato Si’
Elise Ann Allen  May 19, 2020

ROME - This week Pope Francis inaugurated “Laudato Si’ Week” at the Vatican commemorating the 5th anniversary of the publication of his eco-encyclical with the same title, opening a wider year-long commemoration of the document aimed at spurring global citizens to adopt more sustainable practices.

Speaking from the library of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace during his livestreamed Regina Caeli address Sunday, the pope said the coronavirus has highlighted the importance of “caring for our common home,” and voiced hope that reflections surrounding the Laudato Si’ anniversary will “help to create and strengthen constructive attitudes for the care of creation.”

He then formally inaugurated Laudato Si’ Week, set to run from May 16-24, and which is the beginning of an entire year of activities dedicated to implementing Laudato Si’, beginning May 24, 2020 and ending May 24, 2021.

Though Laudato S’i was published in June 2015, it was signed by the pope May 24 of that year, on the feast of Pentecost.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/pope-francis-general-audience-mystery-creation-opens-prayer.html
Pope at Audience: Mystery of Creation opens us up to prayer
20 May 2020, 09:59

Pope Francis holds his weekly General Audience during Laudato Si’ Week, and reflects on the mystery of Creation and how it opens us up to prayer.
By Devin Watkins

Continuing his catechesis cycle on the theme of prayer at the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis spoke about the relationship between creation and prayer.

The Bible, he said, begins with the account of God creating the world. The passage “resembles a great hymn of thanks”, he said.

“The account of Creation,” he continued, “is punctuated with refrains in which the goodness and beauty of all things that exist are continually reaffirmed.”

Greatness and frailty
Pope Francis said the beauty and mystery of Creation sets in motion the first movement that stirs prayer. Psalm 8, proclaimed at the beginning of the audience, affirms this.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/pope-francis-encourages-christians-to-be-generous-witnesses.html
Pope Francis encourages Christians to be generous witnesses
20 May 2020, 10:12

https://zenit.org/articles/popes-general-audience-on-prayer-mystery-of-creation-full-text/
POPE’S GENERAL AUDIENCE: On Prayer & Mystery of Creation (FULL TEXT)
May 20, 2020 13:41

Video, with English commentary, at the link below--
Pope's Audience of 20 May 2020
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/papal-audience/2020-05/video-pope-francis-general-audience-20-may-2020.html

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2020-05/pope-mass-santa-marta-china-wechat.html

Pope Francis’s Mass from the Casa Santa Marta followed even in China
20 May 2020, 14:59

Through the WeChat app and simultaneous translation, thousands of people in the People's Republic of China followed the daily liturgy celebrated by Pope Francis.
By Francesco Liang

Thousands of people in the People's Republic of China joined in the daily broadcast of the Pope’s Mass over these past few weeks.

Millions of people throughout the world followed these simple daily liturgies from the chapel of his residence in the Casa Santa Marta, thanks to the live television and radio broadcasts and news reports in many languages. This is precisely the gift that the Bishop of Rome wanted to give each day to so many people unable to move from home during this difficult time. That gift even reached the Catholic faithful of China.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-05/pope-francis-rescript-vatican-data-processing-centre-spe-apsa.html

Pope transfers Vatican’s Data Processing Centre to Secretariat for the Economy
20 May 2020, 12:18

With a Rescript promulgated on Wednesday, Pope Francis has transferred the Data Processing Centre (CED) from the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) to the Secretariat for the Economy (SPE).
By Vatican News

Pope Francis has made a shuffle in the Roman Curia.   He has issued a Rescript transferring the Data Processing Centre previously managed by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) to the Secretary for the Economy (SPE). It was made public on Wednesday by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, with a statement dated May 11.

It said Pope Francis considers the transfer is needed “to guarantee a more rational organization of the Holy See's economic and financial information”. Another reason cited is the eventual computerization of all its activities “so as to guarantee the simplification of activities and the effectiveness of controls, as they are fundamental for the correct functioning of the Entities of the Roman Curia”.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-05/holy-see-israel-palestine-vatican-gallagher.html

Holy See reaffirms two-state solution to Israeli-Palestine problem
20 May 2020, 14:14

A prominent Palestinian authority calls the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States "to inform the Holy See about recent developments in the Palestinian territories".
By Vatican News

The Holy See has once more reiterated the two-people, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem for peace in the Holy Land.

A statement by the Holy See Press Office on Wednesday said that the Chief Palestine negotiator and Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Saeb Erekat, called the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.

Erekat called to “inform the Holy See about recent developments in the Palestinian territories and of the possibility of Israeli applying its sovereignty unilaterally to part of those territories, further jeopardizing the peace process”.

In this regard, the Press Office said, “The Holy See reiterates that respect for international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions, is an indispensable element for the two peoples to live side by side in two States, within the borders internationally recognized before 1967.”
 

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https://zenit.org/articles/during-popes-1st-audience-in-months-pope-tells-young-athletes-that-doing-for-others-is-what-gives-joy/

During Pope’s 1st Audience in Months, Pope Tells Young Athletes That Doing for Others Is What Gives Joy
Small Group Stayed Socially Distant in Pope’s Library Following General Audience
May 21, 2020 14:32  Deborah Castellano Lubov

Marking his first audience in months, yesterday, May 20, 2020, after his weekly Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis received a small number of athletes who were to participate today, May 21, in an international event called “We Run Together.”

They were received and kept socially distant in the Pope’s library, announced the Holy See Press Office in an evening bulletin.

According to a press release, the event had been organized by the Vatican Athletic association in collaboration with the athletic group Fiamme Gialle, or Yellow Flames of the Italian law enforcement agency that covers financial crimes, the Pontifical Council for Culture’s “Courtyard of the Gentiles” and the Italian Federation of Light Athletics of Lazio.

The Pope addressed those present with a few words and, afterwards, read them a message addressed, for the occasion, to all sportsmen. ZENIT has translated both sets of remarks below.

Addressing the athletes, Francis stressed that sports build bridges, and expressed appreciation that their initiatives will help benefit the “Pope John XXIII” hospital in Bergamo and the “Poliambulance Foundation” in Brescia, located in Italy’s hard-hit Lombardy region.

“It is a way of showing gratitude,” the Pope said, noting the medical personal “are heroes.”

The Holy Father also underscored that doing for others, is what gives authentic joy.

Pope Francis concluded, encouraging those in the group to live out their passion for sport as “an experience of unity and solidarity.”

“It is specifically the true values of sports,” the Argentine Pope known for loving soccer said, “that are particularly important in facing this period of the pandemic and above all, the difficult aftermath.”

“And in this spirit,” he said, “I invite you to run, together, on the track of life.”

The Holy Father asked them to pray for him and imparted his Apostolic Blessing.

Here’s a ZENIT working translation of the Pope’s words and his message:
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/pope-francis-pontifical-mission-society-message.html

Pope Francis: Mission is free gift of the Spirit, not result of strategies
21 May 2020, 12:00

Pope Francis sends a message to the Pontifical Mission Societies, and urges them to avoid self-promotion and to thank God for the gift of being missionaries.
By Vatican News

The proclamation of the Gospel is "something different from all political, cultural, psychological, or religious forms of proselytism.” Mission is a free gift of the Spirit, and cannot be entrusted to "training programs" or "ecclesiastical establishments" that "seem to be swallowed up by the obsession of promoting themselves and their own initiatives and advertising their own initiatives.”

Pope Francis reflected on the foundations of the Christian mission in a message to the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), which were to meet in Rome for their annual General Assembly. The event was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/full-text-pope-francis-message-pontifical-mission-societies.html
Pope's Message to the Pontifical Mission Societies: Full Text
21 May 2020, 11:59

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https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/12952/vatican-orders-care-when-disinfecting-holy-objects

20 May 2020, The Tablet
Vatican orders care when disinfecting holy objects
by Junno Arocho Esteves, CNS

To help prevent damaging artistic and historically significant objects, the Pontifical Council for Culture released suggestions for cleaning and disinfecting church buildings, furnishings and sacred objects.

Under no circumstances, it said, should a painting or historical document be disinfected.

In a statement published on its website May 20, the council said it distributed the guidelines after some reports that “the necessary disinfection of areas, vestments and sacred vessels for worship has been carried out in some cases using detergents that are not suitable for objects of art and cultural heritage.”

The document, it said, was “drawn up not by the Pontifical Council for Culture, but shared by it. It offers simple indications to avoid causing irreversible damage to the most precious and delicate objects present in our churches.”

The pontifical council also recommended “that priests or those in charge of the churches make contact with the cultural heritage specialists in their diocese or competent civil authorities, especially in the most delicate cases.”

The guidelines detail specific instructions for antique furniture, sacred vessels, liturgical garments, as well as the disinfection of church buildings, offices, floors, pavements and other objects, such as handrails, doorknobs and benches.
 

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/around-the-globe-catholics-hope-papal-mass-online-will-continue-57642

Around the globe, Catholics hope papal Mass online will continue
By Courtney Mares

Rome Newsroom, May 21, 2020 / 10:45 am MT (CNA).- After the Vatican stopped livestreaming Pope Francis’ daily Masses this week, Catholics from around the world have urged the pope to resume the broadcast.

The pope’s Mass livestream ended May 18, the day dioceses throughout Italy were able to resume public Masses. But many Catholics in other countries remain without access to the Mass.

This is the case for the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Nairobi, Kenya, where a lockdown has been extended until June 6 closing all places of public worship.

Sister Mary Anne Williamson wrote a letter on behalf of her religious community, asking if the Pope Francis’ live Mass broadcast could be reinstated. She told CNA that the sisters were “dismayed” when they learned that the broadcast of the pope’s Mass would be discontinued.

“When our churches closed about eight weeks ago, we began to have a Liturgy of the Word in our chapel. But then we heard that our sisters in our general house in Rome, also locked down, were celebrating with the Mass of the Holy Father from their house. We found EWTN on our TV channel server Zuku and began to join at 8 a.m. Nairobi time,” she said.

The sisters gathered together to watch the pope’s Mass after morning prayer in their chapel. Williamson said the missionary sisters found it meaningful to pray in this way in union with the pope and Christians throughout the world.

“We really appreciated the Holy Father's homily and the translations done by Sister Bernadette,” she said. “We also appreciated the moments of Eucharistic adoration at the end of the morning Mass at Santa Marta.”

“We know that the Mass of Pope Francis was appreciated by others and probably many around the world. We will continue to hope that Vatican Media will be able to broadcast again.”
While some countries in Europe are easing their lockdowns, Catholics in India, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, England, Switzerland, and other countries remain without access to public Mass. In Ireland, churches are not expected to reopen until July.
 

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/livestream-of-mass-with-pope-francis-on-chinese-social-media-raises-censorship-questions-32684

Livestream of Mass with Pope Francis on Chinese social media raises censorship questions
By Courtney Mares

Rome Newsroom, May 22, 2020 / 05:34 pm MT (CNA).- The Vatican revealed this week that Catholics in China were able to use the most popular Chinese state-monitored social media platform, WeChat, to livestream Pope Francis’ daily Mass during the coronavirus pandemic.

An expert on Chinese media has cautioned that the Chinese regime may have had something to gain in granting Chinese Catholics this limited access to the pope.

WeChat is known for its censorship of its more than 1 billion monthly active users. The Chinese government is able to monitor all discussion, content, and user data on the app.

Vatican News released a video on May 20 showing Catholics in China gathered around smartphones and computer monitors placed on home altars or inside of churches praying with Pope Francis’ livestreamed liturgies, which could be accessed via WhatsApp via simultaneous translation into Chinese.

By the time that the video was published, the limited 52-day period in which the livestream was available to Chinese viewers, March 27 to May 18, had already come to an end.
 
Vatican News reported that in China the news that the live broadcast of the pope’s Mass would end on May 18 was “greeted with some suffering and also with some tears.”

While some Catholics in China are sad to lose access to the livestream Mass, the greater problem for most Chinese Catholics is that Catholic churches, seminaries, and all pilgrimage activities in China remain suspended.

China closed churches beginning in January, as the coronavirus outbreak spread throughout the country. But after the nationwide quarantine was eased in March and epicenter Wuhan’s lockdown was lifted on April 8, Asia News reports that Catholic churches were told to remain closed through the end of May by the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-appoints-new-archbishop-for-taiwans-capital-29607

Pope Francis appoints new archbishop for Taiwan’s capital
By Courtney Mares

Vatican City, May 23, 2020 / 07:05 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis appointed Saturday Bishop Thomas An-Zu Chung as the next Metropolitan Archbishop of Taipei, Taiwan.

Chung, who currently serves as bishop of Chiayi, Taiwan, will replace Archbishop John Hung Shan-chuan, who has retired at the age of 76.

The Holy See is the only remaining country in Europe that recognizes Taiwan as a country. The Holy See and Taiwan have had formal diplomatic relations for 77 years. However, the nunciature in Taipei has not been led by a nuncio since Oct. 25, 1971, when the United Nations ceased to recognize the Taipei-based government as the government of China.

The pope also appointed Chung to serve as the apostolic administrator of the Matzu Islands, an archipelago of 36 islands in the East China Sea, and the Kinmen Islands, which are located under four miles from the mainland People’s Republic of China.
 

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Video at the link

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-05/vatican-museums-reopen-june1-castel-gandolfo-coronavirus-restric.html

Vatican Museums to reopen on 1 June after Covid-19 lockdown
23 May 2020, 10:50

The Holy See Press Office announces on Saturday that the Vatican Museums and the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo will reopen their doors to the public on 1 June.
By Vatican News

The Vatican Museums reopening coincides with Italy’s gradual easing of the nearly 3-month lockdown, which allows many businesses and activities to restart.

The reopening of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo and a new open-bus tour have also been announced.

Health and art

Due to the current health emergency situation, the Vatican Museums are ensuring a very careful balance between safety and health needs and the dynamics of a museum visit, without compromising the essence of such a visit.

Hence, in keeping with the norms of hygiene and physical distance, visitors to the Museums will be subject to a body temperature check and will be allowed in only with a facemask.

A medical and health team from Italy’s Misericordie volunteer group and the Vatican’s Health and Hygiene Department will ensure every need during the opening hours.

Other important requirements for the reopening of the museums will be revised from time to time as the current emergency situation evolves.

Online booking
 

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Video, with English commentary, at the link

https://netny.tv/episodes/currents/st-peters-square-opens-to-the-public-as-italians-reemerge-from-worlds-strictest-covid-lockdown/

St. Peter’s Square Opens to the Public as Italians Reemerge From World’s Strictest COVID-Lockdown
Air date May 22, 2020
By Melissa Butz

For the first time since March 10, there was life inside St. Peter’s Square. Italians young and old, walked next to the fountains, which were once the only source of movement, as police cars still circled the area.

“We came because we want to re-begin to live in Rome and this is a great way to start,” explained Sandra, who came to visit the square. “Many museums are still closed, so although it’s sad, we’re taking advantage of this quiet time.”

The calmness of the square and the short line also inspired many Romans to go inside the basilica.”We found ourselves here, where there was hardly anyone,” added fellow visitor Adriana “It was so weird. When we saw we could go inside the basilica, we went in. As a Roman, nothing like this has ever happened.”
 

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https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-middle-east/2020/05/church-of-the-holy-sepulcher-set-to-re-open-on-sunday/

Church of the Holy Sepulcher set to re-open on Sunday
Associated Press   May 23, 2020

JERUSALEM - The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem will open on Sunday for the first time in two months.

It is built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

Leaders of the three denominations sharing the site said in a statement Saturday that entrance will be limited to 50 people at a time.

Worshippers cannot enter if they have symptoms and must wear face masks and should keep a distance of about six feet. They should also avoid touching or kissing stones and other objects at the holy site.
 

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/pope-francis-regina-coeli-ascension-faith-vision.html

Pope at Regina Coeli: Ascension recalls Jesus's constant presence among us
24 May 2020, 12:08

Pope Francis prays the Regina Coeli on Ascension Sunday, and reminds Christians that Jesus remains among us as our source of strength and joy.
By Devin Watkins

The Solemnity of the Ascension was celebrated in the Vatican last Thursday, but Italy and many other countries celebrate the Lord’s ascent into Heaven on Sunday.

At the Regina Coeli prayer in the Apostolic Library, Pope Francis reflected on the missionary mandate Jesus gave His disciples during their final meeting(Mt 28:16-20).
Jesus invests all who follow Him with the mission to all peoples, said the Pope.

“The contents of the mission entrusted to the Apostles are these: to proclaim, baptize, and teach how to walk the path traced out by the Master, that is, the Gospel.”
 
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/pope-francis-day-of-prayer-for-chinese-church.html
Pope Francis appeals for Day of Prayer for Church in China
24 May 2020, 12:13

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-05/pope-francis-regina-coeli-world-communcations-day-storytelling.html
Pope encourages storytelling on World Communications Day
24 May 2020, 12:12

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/pope-francis-appeals-for-laudato-si-year-prayer.html
Pope Francis appeals for Laudato si’ Year, releases special prayer
24 May 2020, 13:11

https://zenit.org/articles/regina-caeli-address-solemnity-of-the-ascension-on-the-seventh-sunday-of-easter/
Regina Caeli Address: Solemnity of the Ascension on the Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 24, 2020 16:52  Virginia Forrester

Video at the link below--
May 24 2020 Regina Coeli prayer Pope Francis
https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-museums-will-reopen-on-june-1-as-italy-opens-borders-to-tourists-85406

Vatican Museums will reopen June 1 as Italy opens borders to tourists
By Courtney Mares

Vatican City, May 23, 2020 / 08:35 am MT (CNA).- The Vatican Museums announced Saturday that it will reopen on June 1, two days before Italy opens its borders to European visitors after nearly three months of lockdown.

Entrance to the Vatican Museums will only be possible via prior reservation to limit the number of people in the museum and stagger entrance times. All visitors will be required to wear a mask, and mandatory temperature checks will be conducted at the entrance.

To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, group visits to the museums will be capped at a maximum of 10 people.
 
The Italian government has announced that Italy will open its regional and international borders on June 3, allowing tourists from the European Union to visit Italy without being subjected to a quarantine requirement.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that this will create the conditions to help Italy’s tourism industry to recover.