Pope Francis has described the COVID-19 pandemic as ‘lady’ who must be obeyed, for forcing him to keep his distance again during his weekly address.
Before the start of the weekly address on Wednesday, October 28, the pontiff, who went mask free apologised to people for not coming down from the marble stage to greet well-wishers.
“I will stay up here. I would very much like to come down and greet each of you but we have to keep our distances,” he said to the crowd from the stage of the Vatican auditorium.
“If I come down, immediately people will form groups … and this is against the care, the precautions, we must have in the face of this lady named COVID, who is doing us much harm,” he added.
“For this reason, please forgive me that I have not come down to greet you. I greet you from here and I keep you in my heart, and please keep me in your heart and pray for me,” he said.
Recall the Pope had part of one lung removed because of an illness when he was a young man, and many believe he would be at high risk for complications if he were to become infected.