The Pope has prayed to god and asked him to deliver the world from the recent coronavirus pandemic. <a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">With over 31,506 confirmed cases of the COVID-19</a> in the country thus far, and with 2,503 deaths in the country as a direct result of the virus, the Pope has been praying in Vatican City while the country is in lockdown. Take a look at this satellite footage showing the reduction in Italian pollution during the quarantine: [[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/ApXkbwTt-dkXnENEs.mp4||ApXkbwTt]] <a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-coronavirus-interview-repubblica-pandemic-covid-coronavirus.html">Per Vatican News</a>, the Holy Father spoke to the daily Italian publication <a href="https://rep.repubblica.it/pwa/intervista/2020/03/18/news/papa_francesco_coronavirus_intervista-251572975/?ref=RHPPTP-BH-I251572993-C12-P1-S1.12-T1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Repubblica</a> on Wednesday, and told them that: "I asked the Lord to stop the epidemic: ‘Lord, stop it with your hand’. That is what I prayed for." He continued: "We must rediscover the concrete nature of small things, of making small gestures toward those around us - family, friends. They are gestures of tenderness, of affection, of compassion, which are nonetheless decisive and important - for example, a hot dish, a caress, a hug, a phone call ... I ask everyone to stay close to those who have lost loved ones, to be close to them in every possible way." A number of Italian neighbors were heard singing together during the national lockdown: [[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/NvqXiIwu-izxriqNH.mp4||NvqXiIwu]] <a class="c-link" href="https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.who.int%2Fdg%2Fspeeches%2Fdetail%2Fwho-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="slack-kit-tooltip">The World Health Organization</a> declared the COVID-19 a pandemic last week, writing: "WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic." The statement continued: "Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering death." <a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">At the time of writing</a>, there have now been 204,828 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across 114 countries worldwide, and a total of 8,271 deaths.

The Pope says he has asked God to stop the coronavirus pandemic

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