Explainer: Why isn’t Pope Francis wearing a mask?
A maskless Pope Francis met guests at a crowded indoor papal audience last week, kissing the hands of newly ordained priests and embracing and chatting with people who pulled their masks down or did not wear masks at all, flouting the Vatican’s coronavirus protocols.
The scene, which America’s Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell described as a “disaster” on the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, caused concern among Vatican officials not only about the pope’s health but whether papal audiences could safely continue at all. Today’s audience was held with new restrictions: Pope Francis, without a mask, remained distanced from pilgrims and the monsignors who usually surround him. He apologized to the audience, saying: “Sorry if I greet you from afar today. By following the regulations, it will be a help in dealing with this virus.”
An Oct. 6 letter sent to the heads of Vatican entities states that employees are required to wear masks outdoors and in any work places where social distancing cannot be guaranteed. The letter also instructs employees to wear a mask in “social contacts” and to follow other health guidelines like social distancing and sanitizing hands. Similarly strict guidelines and contact tracing measures apply to guests visiting the city-state.
Meanwhile, the Vatican has seen a second wave of the virus after successfully containing its first 12 cases by June. In recent weeks, three Vatican residents tested positive, and the Vatican disclosed Monday that four Swiss Guards had been infected and were in isolation. These latter cases have caused additional concern in the Vatican, as the Swiss Guards live together in barracks and at least one guard is always stationed outside the pope’s door. Pope Francis has a habit of shaking hands with the guard each morning when he leaves his suite
It is the pope’s tendency toward physical closeness that has some in the Vatican concerned that he could be at risk of contracting the coronavirus. Pope Francis has rarely been seen wearing a mask since the start of the pandemic, even as he denounced as “adolescent” people who complained about mask and distancing requirements.
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https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/10/14/pope-francis-not-wearing-mask-coronavirus-vatican