杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff writer

杏MAP导航 Francis will not hold this year鈥檚 traditional Baptism of infants in the Vatican鈥檚 famed Sistine Chapel on Sunday, 10 January, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Holy See鈥檚 Press Office announced on Tuesday. 

鈥淒ue to the health situation, as a precautionary measure, the traditional baptism of children presided over by the Holy Father in the Sistine Chapel on the Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord will not be celebrated this year,鈥� the Holy See鈥檚 Press Office said in a brief note on Tuesday.

Instead, the baptisms will take place in the parishes to which they belong. 

Long-running tradition

The tradition of baptizing children amidst the splendour of Michelangelo frescos in the Vatican鈥檚 Sistine Chapel, where 杏MAP导航s are elected, was started by 杏MAP导航 St. John Paul II. 

The Vatican鈥檚 website says that on 11 January 1981, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Polish 杏MAP导航 administered Baptism to 9 infants in the Vatican鈥檚 Pauline Chapel, which is separated from the Sistine Chapel by the Sala Regia. The following year he baptised 13 new-born babies and, in 1983, 20 infants.  

Last year, 杏MAP导航 Francis baptized 32 infants (17 boys and 15 girls), all children of Vatican employees.

In the Church's liturgical calendar, the feast of the Baptism of Jesus marks the conclusion of the Christmas Season, which begins with the Christmas Eve Mass.   

Pandemic's second wave

Numerous countries around the globe, including in Europe, are grappling with a second wave of the coronavirus infection, with governments trying to check its spread by severely restricting movements and gathering of people, especially during the current holiday season.

Over 75,000 people have died in Italy, the highest among European countries. With over 2.1 million total infections since the start of the pandemic, Italy ranks 4th after Russia, the UK and France.