"Pope announces extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing"
March24,2020
"At the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis invited all Christians to join together in praying the Our Father as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic..."
"The 'Our Father' on the Annunciation
On Wednesday, 25 March, the feast of the Annunciation, he has invited 'the Heads of the Churches and the leaders of every Christian community, together with all Christians of the various confessions, to invoke the Almighty, the omnipotent God, to recite at the same time the prayer that Jesus, our Lord, taught us' – the Our Father. 'On that day on which many Christians recall the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary of the Incarnation of the Word', Pope Francis prayed, 'may the Lord listen to the united prayer of all of His disciples who are preparing themselves to celebrate the victory of the Risen Christ'..."
"A special Urbi et Orbi blessing
The Pope also announced that on the following Friday, 27 March, he will preside over a moment of prayer on the sagrato of St Peter’s Basilica, the platform at the top of the steps immediately in front of the façade of the Church. 'I invite everyone to participate spiritually through the means of communication', he said.
The ceremony [6 pm Rome time, 1 pm DST] will consist in readings from the Scriptures, prayers of supplication, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; and will conclude with Pope Francis giving the Urbi et orbi Blessing, with the possibility of gaining a plenary indulgence for all those who listen to it live through the various forms of communication..."
Please click
here to read more of this important "Vatican News" article by Christopher Wells.