On April 18, the Pope greets the faithful again from the window of the Apostolic Palace

Olga Sakun – Vatican City

Once again, some relaxation of the antique restrictions will allow the faithful to be present in St. Peter’s Square and join the Pope’s prayer, which he utters from the window of his office in the Apostolic Palace – although it is impossible to say how long these exemptions will last.

For more than a year now, restrictive measures taken by the Italian authorities in connection with the pandemic have hindered the Pope’s regular meetings with pilgrims. These measures were canceled and reintroduced several times: during the first lockdown, St. Peter’s Square was empty from March 8 to May 24, and Sunday prayer was broadcast from the private library of the Holy Father in the Apostolic Palace. Then the Pope again began to bless the believers from the window of his office – this lasted for several months. On December 20, access to the square was again closed until February 7 and then opened until March 14. Since March 21, Sunday meetings with the Holy Father have stopped again – for almost a month.