SHAFAQNA- The French community church in Rome, St. Louis of the French, closed its doors to the public last week after a priest was infected with a Coronavirus.
It was the first church in Rome closed by the virus. Churches in much of Veneto and Lombardy, two Italian regions hardest hit by the virus, have closed their doors under widespread measures aimed at containing the spread of the virus, according to Republic World.
The Religious Information Service news agency reported the church was closed after a 43-year-old priest who had returned to Paris was hospitalized after being infected. It carried a statement by the archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, who said the priest, who had been living in Rome, returned to Paris by car in mid-February and tested positive for the virus on Friday. He was in good condition, Aupetit said, kob told.
The church in the historic center of Rome is famous for three paintings by the Baroque master Caravaggio, making it a destination for tourists and the faithful alike. A sign on the door Sunday noted in French that the church had been closed as a precaution by the French Embassy for both Masses and touristic visits until further notice.
The pope was seen coughing during his traditional Sunday blessing from a window above St. Peter’s Square, and during Ash Wednesday Mass last week, he was seen coughing and blowing his nose, Time reported.
Francis canceled several official engagements in the last two weeks, as coronavirus spread from northern Italy to other parts of the country, including Rome.