St. Peter's Basilica To Open After Lockdown On 18 May 2020 Without The Pope Being Physically Present

According to wantedinrome.com, "St Peter's Basilica is to reopen to the public on Monday 18 May, following a two-month closure, after undergoing an intensive sanification programme." [1]

Selected paragraphs quoted below are from afp.com [2]:

"I share the joy of those communities who can finally reunite as liturgical assemblies, a sign of hope for all society," Francis said on Sunday during his live-streamed prayer.

Bergoglio may be sharing the joy but he would not be sharing it in person.  Apparently he is still scared of getting infected by the the coronavirus, COVID-19, but it appears to be fine by him if other people are physically present [3]:

Francis has been livestreaming mass from a chapel at his residence inside the Vatican City.

The Argentine pontiff is not yet expected  to lead any public religious ceremonies either in the basilica, which can accommodate 60,000 people, or in Saint Peter's Square, as the Vatican seeks to avoid crowds. [Emphasis  added.]

Francis will, however, celebrate a private mass on Monday, broadcast by video, in front of the tomb of John Paul II, on the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Polish-born pontiff.

Disinfecting St. Peter's and limiting attendees are not providing Bergoglio with any assurance that he would be safe from contracting the virus, assuming that he would be far away from the audience [4]:

In preparation for the reopening of Saint Peter's, the largest Catholic church in the world was disinfected on Friday, with workers in full protective suits and masks spraying down the surface of the 23,000-square metre (250,000-square foot) site.

...

The basilica, as well as three other papal basilicas, is expected to follow a recommendation from Italy's interior ministry limiting attendance at religious celebrations in enclosed places of worship to 200 people.

Imagine if Bergoglio were to be given a choice to step down as Pope or to walk the steps taken by Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Christ while being stoned, reviled and spat on, what would he choose?  Probably neither and would instead refuse to leave his papal residence where he is safe, pampered and being served by others, as opposed to being like Christ who came to serve, not to be served.  In the word of Christ Himself: "'the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.'" [5]


[1] https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/vatican-to-reopen-st-peters-basilica-on-18-may.html, quoted without hyperlink.
[2] https://www.afp.com/en/news/15/reopening-saint-peters-marks-first-step-italys-catholics-doc-1rr6j02
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/20, 28.