Some Rome churches reopen after angry pope steps in
From The Bangkok Post
Under draconian anti-virus measures, the Vatican has been forced to close churches in Rome.
VATICAN CITY - Some of Rome's Catholic churches reopened Friday after Pope Francis voiced displeasure with the Italian authorities' push to shut them because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The rare standoff between the 83-year-old pontiff and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's government came as Italy's death toll reached 1,266.
The Mediterranean country has suffered more than half the COVID-19 fatalities reported outside China and has seen the toll grow by hundreds each day.
Conte has responded by shuttering most shops and all restaurants and other public places in the hope of stemming contagion and easing the burden on overstretched hospitals.
Italians have been told to avoid going outside without a good reason and machine-gun toting soldiers now patrol city streets.
But churches have stayed open in the overwhelmingly Catholic country throughout what many now call Italy's biggest crisis since World War II.
That changed when the vicar of Rome said Thursday he could no longer withstand government pressure and was closing all Catholic places of worship across the Italian capital.
The Rome diocese lists slightly over 1,000 churches -- about 900 of them Catholic ones.
The pope's response was unusually swift and blunt.
"Drastic measures are not always good," the Argentine-born pope said in livestreamed Friday morning prayer.
He prayed for "pastors to have the good judgement... not to leave the holy, faithful people of God alone."
The vicar of Rome then issued a statement explaining that he had had "a further meeting" with the pontiff in which it was decided to let at least some churches to reopen their doors.
Vicar Angelo De Donatis said he ultimately decided that closing churches "will sow confusion" among the faithful and see some "feel even more isolated".
His decree explained that all of Rome's churches would remain closed to tourists.
But smaller houses of worship would open in some places specifically for the faithful.
"Dear priests, we rely on your wise discernment," the Rome vicar wrote.
"Help everyone feel like the Church is not closing its doors on them."
Yet Rome now stands a deserted city in which almost nothing functions and barely anyone ventures outside.
Much of Italy is the same.
A clip that went viral from the Tuscan city of Siena showed mostly elderly voices joining in a traditional choir song that rang out from their windows and over the empty streets.
A similar scene with more upbeat signing played out in one of the residential highrise areas of the southern city of Naples.
And people danced on their balconies to the "Macarena" in northern Turin.
The pope urged priests Friday "to have the courage to go out and see the sick, bringing the strength of the word of God".
Courtesy of The Bangkok Post
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/18786 ... e-steps-in
Some Rome churches reopen after angry pope steps in
- jackspratt
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Re: Some Rome churches reopen after angry pope steps in
Oh dear! ......... religion intruding into what is clearly a medical and social issue.
God is not going to help, but I guess a few more bucks for the priests officiating at funerals, and gotta keep the collection plates ticking over.
God is not going to help, but I guess a few more bucks for the priests officiating at funerals, and gotta keep the collection plates ticking over.
andGreek Orthodox church says 'holy cup cannot carry disease', allows congregations to share spoon
Greek Orthodox churches across the country will allow congregations of hundreds of people to sip wine from the same spoon during mass because "the holy cup cannot carry disease," the Archdiocese said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-14/ ... m/12055476Victory Life Centre, which is a non-denominational Christian church in Perth founded by Margaret Court, also believes its faith will protect its congregation.
The church issued a statement on its website that said COVID-19 "will not come near our dwelling or our church family".
"We are praying daily for you, knowing that we are all protected by the Blood of Jesus," the statement said.
- semperfiguy
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Re: Some Rome churches reopen after angry pope steps in
Have to agree with you jackspratt. It's sheer stupidity and a misplacing of faith!!jackspratt wrote: ↑March 14, 2020, 11:58 amOh dear! ......... religion intruding into what is clearly a medical and social issue.
God is not going to help, but I guess a few more bucks for the priests officiating at funerals, and gotta keep the collection plates ticking over.
andGreek Orthodox church says 'holy cup cannot carry disease', allows congregations to share spoon
Greek Orthodox churches across the country will allow congregations of hundreds of people to sip wine from the same spoon during mass because "the holy cup cannot carry disease," the Archdiocese said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-14/ ... m/12055476Victory Life Centre, which is a non-denominational Christian church in Perth founded by Margaret Court, also believes its faith will protect its congregation.
The church issued a statement on its website that said COVID-19 "will not come near our dwelling or our church family".
"We are praying daily for you, knowing that we are all protected by the Blood of Jesus," the statement said.
Colossians 2:8-10...See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in HIM dwells all the fullness of the GODHEAD bodily; and you are complete in HIM, who is the head of all principality and power.
Re: Some Rome churches reopen after angry pope steps in
Religion and science have always clashed, although they were once considered one and the same thing.
All said, this Pope has some character about him - an improvement on his predecessors.
All said, this Pope has some character about him - an improvement on his predecessors.
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Re: Some Rome churches reopen after angry pope steps in
Someone needs to tell Mike Pence.
- jackspratt
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