[국제]Corona 19 swept the world… depressing Christmas

[앵커]

With Corona 19 that swept the world, this year’s Christmas is passing in an unprecedented gloomy atmosphere.

The Christmas Eve Mass, presided by Pope Francis, was reduced to a level of one hundredth of the previous year and proceeded quietly, and it is difficult to find the appearance of Christmas in previous years due to high-intensity blockades from around the world.

Connect with the International Department to learn more. Reporter Lee Dong-heon!

The Christmas Eve Mass, presided by Pope Francis, was very quiet?

[기자]

Pope Francis held Christmas Eve Mass at 7:30 p.m. local time on the 24th of Christmas Eve at St. Peter’s Cathedral for about an hour.

Because the curfew begins at 10:00 p.m. due to Corona 19, it started two hours earlier than usual.

It is the same as usual, and about 10,000 people, including ordinary believers, diplomatic missions, and clergy, gathered, but this year, only a hundred people attended.

This is because the Vatican has limited the number of attendance at Mass in consideration of the spread of Corona 19.

Italian health authorities imposed a nationwide high-intensity blockade to prevent the spread of Corona 19 during the Christmas holiday, but worship was allowed exceptionally, allowing a small number of ordinary believers to attend.

Pope Francis emphasized his interest in those who were marginalized in the midst of the Corona 19 crisis, saying in his lecture, “Jesus also came into the world to reveal that all the poor and forsaken are descendants of God.”

The Pope will read the special blessed message from the’Hospital Balcony’ overlooking Peter’s Square at noon on Christmas Day in the cathedral this year, and it will be broadcast live.

[앵커]

It’s different from the appearance of Christmas in previous years as European countries again enforced strong containment measures to prevent the spread of Corona 19, right?

[기자]

Christmas family gatherings are expected to become difficult in the UK, where the highly contagious mutation appeared in Corona 19.

This is because transportation to and from home and abroad is greatly limited, and strong containment measures have been imposed in some areas.

In Germany, no more than 5 people from 2 families can gather together to celebrate Christmas.

In each church or cathedral in Germany, only those who have made a reservation in advance are allowed to participate in worship or mass, and chanting is prohibited.

In Greece, children’s Christmas choirs, traditionally held on Christmas Eve, have been canceled.

Authorities have banned children from going from door to door and singing choruses because they are at risk of corona19 infection.

In the case of the United States, many churches have effectively banned songs for believers during Christmas.

After playing the recorded music, believers were asked to be content with humming the melody with their mouths closed wearing masks, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation not to sing especially indoors during Christmas.

So far, the International Department has delivered it.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]

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