Boris Johnson is facing demands to overrule control-freak health chiefs today amid warnings ‘time is running out’ to scale up coronavirus testing. Sir Paul Nurse, chief executive of the Francis Crick Institute, urged the PM to summon the Dunkirk spirit and let ‘small ship’ labs start screening for the killer disease. Delivering a damning verdict … Read more
The Pope has delivered a blessing which is normally reserved for Christmas and Easter in an extremely rare move in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Francis delivered the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ blessing – Latin for ‘to the city and the world’ – in an empty St Peter’s Square this evening. The blessing is usually given … Read more
The Pope has delivered a blessing which is normally reserved for Christmas and Easter in an extremely rare move in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Francis delivered the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ blessing – Latin for ‘to the city and the world’ – in an empty St Peter’s Square this evening. The blessing is usually given … Read more
Self-pity and sadness are ‘the seed of the devil’ the Pope warns during livestreamed Mass as he urges Christians not to ‘complain about everything’ Pope Francis live-streamed Holy Mass from the chapel of his Vatican residence He prayed for people to recognise the ‘evil’ of complaining about their lives ‘Many of us [are] unable to do … Read more
Pope Francis defied Italian government advice to stay indoors and today walked to church through Rome’s deserted streets to pray for the end of coronavirus. The Catholic leader had earlier delivered a blessing from his balcony window above an eerily empty St Peter’s Square, which has been closed to worshippers as part of the country’s … Read more
Catholic priests kept their distance from Pope Francis over coronavirus fears today as Italy’s 3ft safety rule reached the Vatican. Francis held an audience in his private library with his clerical translators sitting a yard apart – the distance which Italy is demanding in public spaces to stop the spread of the virus. St Peter’s … Read more
Pope Francis will deliver Sunday prayers by livestream to keep crowds away from Saint Peter’s Square as Italy battles coronavirus The 83-year-old pontiff broke with centuries of tradition to live stream prayers Wants to prevent crowds going to Saint Peter’s Square for Angelus Prayer Coronavirus infections in Italy has jumped to 4,636, with 148 dead … Read more
Francis Bacon’s masterpiece Triptych Inspired By The Oresteia Of Aeschylus is expected to fetch more than £46million at auction A Francis Bacon masterpiece was unveiled at Sotheby’s in London yesterday The painting is expected to fetch well in excess of £46million in New York in May Bacon painted the piece in 1981, and depicts his … Read more
Pope Francis cancels official engagements for third day in a row with apparent cold symptoms in coronavirus-hit Italy The 83-year-old as never cancelled so many official audiences during his papacy Francis last appeared in public on Wednesday, when he was seen to be coughing It comes as coronavirus has now infected more than 800 people … Read more
Pope Francis is still feeling ‘slightly unwell’ and has cancelled his official audiences today, the Vatican has said. The 83-year-old pontiff has scrapped an audience with tech chiefs including Microsoft and IBM executives today – a day after calling off an appearance at a Mass in Rome. Francis had appeared to have a cold during … Read more