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Italian churches resume mass for first time in two months

Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican reopened to visitors on Monday after being closed for over two months under Italy's lockdown orders to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Published: 18 May 2020 11:07 CEST
Italian churches resume mass for first time in two months
A cleaner disinfects a church in Rome in preparation for reopening. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

A handful of visitors queued up, observing social distancing rules, and were watched by police officers wearing face masks before having their temperatures taken to enter the church, which has been closed since March 10th.

Public masses also resume throughout the predominantly Catholic country after a two-month hiatus, while restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and hairdressers, among other businesses, are all expected to reopen.

READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Italy from May 18th

In the face of much opposition, including from Pope Francis, churches in Rome were shuttered at the beginning of the coronavirus emergency in early March. Most, however, opened shortly thereafter, with entry reserved for prayer only.

“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.

Italy's lockdown not only extinguished most business activity in the country, but radically disrupted Italians' personal lives, including attending mass.


A socially distanced service on May 18th. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

Francis has been live-streaming 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.

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.

VIDEO: Millions watch Andrea Bocelli sing in Milan's empty Duomo

In Milan, the Duomo cathedral will conduct mass at 11:30 am. On Friday, the cathedral said it had introduced gadgets worn around the neck that beep softly, flash and vibrate if visitors approach too closely to one another.

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 site.


Disinfecting the Santuario della Madonna del Divino Amore church in Rome. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

The Vatican State, an independent enclave in the heart of Rome, has applied the same anti-virus measures as Italy, where the official death toll from the virus stands at nearly 32,000.

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.

Across Italy's tens of thousands of churches, Catholics will be able to attend not only masses but also weddings and funerals, provided they abide by a series of measures, including wearing masks and sitting or standing well spaced apart.

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ROME

Why Rome has been ranked among the least ‘smart’ cities in the world

A new global report ranks Italy's capital among the least 'smart' cities worldwide. What exactly does this mean?

Published: 9 April 2024 16:38 CEST
Why Rome has been ranked among the least 'smart' cities in the world

There are many things that make the Eternal City an enduring draw for millions of tourists every year, as well as for new residents – but modern innovations are not generally known to be among them.

So the results of a new study ranking Rome as among the least ‘smart’ cities in the world may not come as too much of a surprise to anyone familiar with it.

In fact, you might think this was appropriate enough for a city where people live amidst 3,000 years of history.

Still, Rome’s particularly low ranking at 133rd place out of 142 cities worldwide – placing between Sao Paolo and Lima – might also seem a little harsh.

The result was in stark contrast to other major European cities: Zurich in Switzerland took the number 1 spot, while Oslo, Geneva, Copenhagen, London and Helsinki all featured in the top ten.

READ ALSO: Milan and Rome ranked ‘worst’ cities for foreigners to move to – again

Madrid was ranked 35th, while Paris came in 49th place. Athens however scored less well, in 120th place, and the Bulgarian capital Sofia came 113th.

Italian cities rank poorly overall, as Milan – seen as Italy’s technological and business hub – came in at a lacklustre 91st, and the university city of Bologna came 78th.

What is this ranking?

The 2024 Smart Cities Index (SCI) is produced by the Smart Cities Observatory – part of the IMD’s Global Competitiveness Center – in partnership with the World Organization for Smart and Sustainable Cities (WeGO). 

Researchers combined real-world data and survey responses from residents of 142 cities around the world to show how technology allows cities to improve the quality of life of their population.

However, as the study’s authors point out, it is not just (or strictly) about the cities’ technological aspects.

The survey’s “balanced focus’” was also on “humane dimensions” of smart cities.

They include the overall quality of life, infrastructure, environment, health and safety, public transport, services available to the population, as well as governance.

READ ALSO: Why Milan is a much better city to live in than Rome

The ‘winners’ — cities that ranked the highest — are all “located in areas where social and economic environments are relatively predictable, even against the overall climate of global uncertainties,” the report states.

“They are also cities in which visible initiatives have been taken to facilitate the lives of citizens (e.g., by developing public transport networks or ‘eco compatible’ transport solutions), and to improve the overall ‘quality of life’.”

In that case, this survey seems similar to the many other ‘quality of life’ rankings in which Rome (and Milan) also fares badly every year.

The ranking ranges from ‘AAA’ for ‘smartest’ cities to ‘D’ — the lowest. Rome had a ‘CCC’ rating while Milan was awarded a ‘B’.

Interestingly, included in the survey are not only the best aspects of each city, but also the areas that its residents have designated as ‘priorities’ — that is, the ones that need improvement.

In Rome, the major concerns for residents were recycling, which was a priority for 64 percent according to the study, and public transport, for 62 percent.

Priorities highlighted also included road congestion and air pollution, which were factors bringing down the overall score for Milan, too.

Health services, school education and green spaces were not seen as issues for most Rome residents, meanwhile.

What do you think? Is this criticism justified and, if you live in Rome, do you find the positives outweigh the negatives? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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