Alarm in the Vatican: an archbishop who celebrated a mass with Pope Francis tested positive for coronavirus

Jan Babja, Greek Catholic Archbishop of Presov, Slovakia, contracted coronavirus, but the alarms sounded even in the Vatican, since the high prelate concelebrated mass and held several meetings with Pope Francis on Tuesday the 14th in Presov, during the Pontiff’s apostolic tour last week through Hungary and Slovakia.

Those responsible for the archdiocese immediately informed the Slovak Episcopal Conference yesterday, which in turn alerted the Holy See, that kept silent until now. All the bishops who were in contact with Monsignor Babja last Tuesday were also notified.

It was reported in turn that the archbishop had received the two doses against Covid-19 who completed their vaccination plan. He began to show the first symptoms of what he thought was a cold three or four days ago. The doctors finally verified that he is a new infected in the pandemic that hits the planet.

According to the Archbishopric of Presov, Monsignor Babja showed mild symptoms of the disease, surely helped by the immunization of vaccines.

This Monday Italy started mass vaccination with a third dose to strengthen immune defenses, which according to studies in the United States and Israel decrease between four and six months after the vaccine is given.

It was not reported whether the Pope was injected with a third-dose booster before the trip to Budapest and Slovakia, which began on Sunday the 12th and ended on Wednesday the 15th. According to scientists, the booster stabilizes at a very high level and for a long time the defenses of the body against the virus.

Pope Francis, this Sunday at the Vatican. Photo Claudio Peri / EFE

A tour in good health

Pope Francis, 84, had returned to Rome last Wednesday from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, after a triumphant tour that strengthened him in power by his good physical performance, which kept versions of a resignation on the horizon. Also because after a year and a half of pandemic, Jorge Bergoglio was able to return to the crowd toilets. This bad news again sowed a cloak of doubts.

In the morning, he had concluded his four-day tour in Slovakia, one of the poorest countries in the European Union, with 5.5 million inhabitants, of which 60% are faithful Catholics with little practice.

Greeted enthusiastically by a crowd on the day the country celebrated the day dedicated to the Virgin of Seven Sorrows, the patron saint of Slovakia, Jorge Bergoglio traveled 70 kilometers from Bratislava, the capital, to the Sastin shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. , and traveled with the popemobile the roads of the place, with 60 thousand faithful who cheered him.

Pope Francis spoke to journalists during the flight from Bratislava to Rome. Photo Tiziana Fabi / EFE

Pope Francis spoke to journalists during the flight from Bratislava to Rome. Photo Tiziana Fabi / EFE

The Argentine pope showed splendid humor and also showed in this appointment that he is in good health, talking standing up and having conversations with the people without looking tired.

Bergoglio was operated on last July 4 in Rome, at the Gemelli hospital, for an infection of diverticula that forced surgeons to remove 33 centimeters of intestine and he remained in the hospital, recovering for ten days before returning to the Vatican.

The doctors advised him to read his speeches sitting down and not get tired. Bergoglio complied, but showed that the convalescence period is over. Doctors and two Vatican nurses accompanied him continuously during the trip.

Vatican, correspondent

DB

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source https://pledgetimes.com/alarm-in-the-vatican-an-archbishop-who-celebrated-a-mass-with-pope-francis-tested-positive-for-coronavirus/