- Title: Colosseum normally centre of Easter celebrations, now empty and quiet
- Date: 10th April 2020
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (APRIL 9, 2020) (REUTERS) LIGHTS BURNING IN COLOSSEUM WITH EMPTY STREETS VARIOUS OF EMPTY STREETS AROUND COLOSSEUM NORMALLY PACKED WITH PEOPLE COLOSSEUM WITH EMPTY STREETS VARIOUS OF LIT COLOSSEUM ARCH OF CONSTANTINE ROAD WHERE CROSS IS NORMALLY CARRIED POSITION WHERE POPE FRANCIS NORMALLY SITS VARIOUS OF COLOSSEUM IN SILENCE
- Embargoed: 24th April 2020 09:38
- Keywords: COVID-19 Easter celebrations Italy Pope Francis Roman amphitheatre Via Crucis Way of the Cross colosseum new coronavirus
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Human-Led Quirky,Human-Led Stories,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA004C8WQ2PZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Rome's ancient Colosseum stands quiet and alone under lockdown.
Normally tens of thousands of people would attend Good Friday celebrations with Pope Francis leading Roman Catholics for the traditional Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) around the Roman amphitheatre.
This year streets around the Colosseum will be empty. Not even Pope Francis will turn up for the religious ceremony. Instead of the amphitheatre bathed in candlelight and embraced by the sound of hymn the only sound to be heard will be that of silence or an occasional passing tram.
The traditional candlelight Good Friday "Via Crucis" (Way of the Cross) procession will be replaced by a mini-version with Pope Francis presiding over the event in the small atrium of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
More than 18,000 people have died of the coronavirus in Italy, the highest death toll in the world. The number of confirmed cases has topped 143,000, the third highest global tally behind those of the United States and Spain.
(Production: Gabriele Pileri, Eleanor Biles) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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