Pope Francis to return to window overlooking St. Peter’s Square for Sunday prayer

Vatican City, May 26, 2020 / 08:30 am

Pope Francis will deliver his Regina Coeli address from the window overlooking St. Peter's Square this Sunday for the first time since coronavirus restrictions were imposed in March.

In a statement Tuesday, the Holy See press office said that on May 31 the pope would recite the Regina Coeli with pilgrims gathered in the square below.

"The police will guarantee safe access to the square and will ensure that the faithful present can respect the necessary interpersonal distance," the statement said May 26.

Traditionally, the pope leads the Sunday Angelus -- and the Regina Coeli, between Easter Sunday and Pentecost -- from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square.

But from March 8 onwards, Pope Francis delivered his address via videolink from the library of the Apostolic Palace, and offered a blessing from the window above an empty St. Peter's Square.

People were allowed in St. Peter's Square for the pope's Sunday blessing for the first time in more than 10 weeks May 24 after Italy significantly loosened its coronavirus restrictions. 

Each person who entered the square was required to wear a face mask and security enforced social distancing for the people gathered outside of St. Peter's Basilica, which reopened to the public May 18.

For the first time in over 10 weeks, Catholics were able to be present in St. Peter's Square to receive a blessing from Pope Francis. 🙏🇻🇦

And they were pretty excited about it! pic.twitter.com/dQx7yGk5p8

- Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) May 24, 2020

The Holy See press office said that before this Sunday's Regina Coeli the pope would celebrate a Pentecost Mass, without the presence of the people, in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at St. Peter's Basilica.

The pope is scheduled to deliver his general audience address this Wednesday from the Apostolic Palace library. It will be livestreamed on the Vatican News website.