Coronavirus closes the Louvre in Paris. San Luigi dei Francesi does not open in Rome: a priest has been infected

PARIS. The Louvre did not open this morning due to the coronavirus. The employees of the Parisian museum gathered at the assembly, worried about the risk of contagion, linked to the presence of visitors from the outbreaks of the disease. Yesterday, in the extraordinary Council of Ministers, the French government decided to ban public events with more than 5,000 people. Museums are not considered places at risk, but the numerous exceptions foreseen by the authorities have fueled the doubts of the French.

If the Paris half marathon, scheduled for today, has been canceled, many league games have been confirmed instead. The closure of the Louvre took tourists who had planned to visit it today by surprise. For this reason long queues have formed in front of the entrance, located under the glass pyramid.

Closed the church of San Luigi dei Francesi

The church of San Luigi dei French in Rome is closed today “for precautionary measures” and “until further notice”. It is what can be read on the San Luigi website that refers to a decision of the French Embassy in Rome. In San Luigi, therefore, no masses or visits. This evening mass will not be celebrated even in Sant’Ivo dei Bretoni, also in Rome. It would be the first such arrangement in the capital after a 43-year-old priest on his return from Italy was hospitalized in Paris because he tested positive for the infection of Coronavirus Covid-19.

This was underlined by Sir, the agency of bishops, underlining that it is “the first Roman church to close for the coronavirus”. On the website of the Church “Saint-Louis-Des-Français” it is explained that the closure was decided by the “guard cell” of the Embassy of Rome. It is then, reports the agency ‘Sir’, a statement released by the archdiocese of Paris and by archbishop Michel Aupetit to explain exactly what happened: ” A priest from the diocese of Paris, who returned in mid-February from Italy where previously resided, tested positive for Coronavirus Covid-19 this Friday February 28th. He has been hospitalized since last night and his health is reassuring. ”

The priest had returned to France by car, crossing Northern Italy. “He stayed retired for a few days and celebrated only two masses in his Parisian parish. However, this was enough to close the Roman Church where the priest and the Parisian parish, Notre-Dame de la Croix, came from, where he arrived”, stresses the agency. The priest, according to a communication from the Parisian church reported by Sir, “has the coronavirus. He is fine, but is hospitalized as a precaution and will remain in isolation for 10 days. The other priests of the parish have no symptoms but they will remain as well and, always as a precaution, in isolation for a few days “.

In the press release of the archdiocese of Paris, the archbishop Msgr. Michel Aupetit has decided to update the precautionary lines to “contribute to the fight against this epidemic and follow the latest recommendations sent yesterday evening by the Minister of Solidarity and Health”. “In the press release – recalls the ‘Sir’ – all priests of the parishes of Paris are asked to observe a series of measures during the masses and in their church: to offer communion only in the hands and refuse to give it in the mouth; do not offer the chalice of wine consecrated to the faithful; ask the faithful not to exchange handshakes as a sign of peace during the masses and empty the stoups in the church “.