© Reuters. Ash Wednesday mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican
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By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis led the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics into Lent on Ash Wednesday, as they scaled again a centuries-old ritual to assist stem the unfold of the coronavirus.
Francis, who usually marks the beginning of the penitential season with an outside procession between two historical church buildings in Rome, as an alternative stated a Mass for about 120 individuals in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Throughout Lent, which ends with Easter, Christians are referred to as on to quick, observe extra good deeds, give alms, be near the needy and struggling, and quit one thing, comparable to sweets.
Final month the Vatican issued tips for Ash Wednesday within the COVID-19 period.
They stated clergymen ought to sprinkle ashes on the pinnacle moderately than rub them on the brow, put on masks and recite the standard “Bear in mind that you’re mud and to mud you’ll return” as soon as earlier than everybody moderately that to every congregant.
The pope himself, nonetheless, didn’t completely apply the brand new guidelines, generously dumping ashes on the crown of the heads of some cardinals