Pope marks 'Easter of solitude' in virus lockdown

Pope Francis gives Easter blessing following Easter Sunday Mass on April 12, 2020 behind closed doors at St. Peter's Basilica in The Vatican, during the country's lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. Andreas SOLARO / POOL / AFP April 13, 2020 (AFP) - Pope Francis prayed for tens of thousands of coronavirus victims in an unprecedented livestream Easter Sunday message delivered from a hauntingly empty Vatican to a world under lockdown. The 83-year-old pontiff spoke softly at a ceremony attended by just a handful of priests and a small choir that was spaced out across the expansive marble floor of Saint Peter's Basilica. "For...