Pope sentenced to travel abroad to escape COVID restrictions

• Pope Francis condemned people who traveled abroad on vacation amid COVID-19 blockades during his Sunday prayers at the Vatican Library.
• The pontiff said in his speech: “But didn’t these people, good people, think of those who stayed at home, of the economic problems faced by many people who were devastated by the blockade, of the sick? They thought only of taking us on vacation for their own pleasure. It hurt me a lot. “
• Pope Francis ended with a feeling for the new year, saying: “We can work a little more to take care of each other and our common home”.
• As of Sunday, there were 84 million reported cases of the new coronavirus worldwide and 1.83 million COVID-19-related deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
• Visit the Insider home page for more stories.

Pope Francis on Sunday condemned people who chose to travel abroad on vacation amid the COVID-19 roadblocks.

The pontiff said he was “saddened” by newspaper reports about travelers who traveled abroad to “escape the blockade and enjoy their vacation,” according to a translation of his Vatican Sunday prayers.

“But didn’t those people, good people, think of those who stayed at home, of the economic problems faced by many people who were paralyzed by the blockade, of the sick?” he said. “They only thought about taking a vacation for their own pleasure. It hurt me a lot.”

In an effort to avoid crowds, the religious leader gave his speech on Sunday at the Vatican Library – while his traditional location is a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, where people stand outside to listen in person , according to CNN.

Pope Francis also shared on Sunday a feeling for the new year: “We don’t know what 2021 will have for us, but together we can work a little more to take care of each other and our common home”.

As of Sunday, there were 84 million reported cases of the new coronavirus worldwide and 1.83 million COVID-19-related deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Many countries have recently implemented new or amended blocking rules. For example, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, told the BBC on Sunday, blocking rules may “become stricter” amid the recent spread of a variant of COVID-19 that is potentially 70% more transmissible.

Pope Francis has already used his speeches to encourage people to consider the common good in the midst of the pandemic

In his annual speech on Christmas Day, he called for “vaccines for everyone”.

“I ask everyone – government officials, companies, international organizations – to promote cooperation and not competition, and seek a solution for everyone: vaccines for everyone, especially for the most vulnerable and needy in all regions of the planet,” he said. the Pontiff in his Christmas address for 2020. “First of all: the most vulnerable and needy!”

In November, Pope Francis appeared in a New York Times article to condemn anti-lockdown protesters.

“If we want to get out of this crisis less selfishly than when we entered, we have to let ourselves be touched by the pain of others,” wrote Pope Francis in the article.