（2020.3.22 VaticanNews Christopher Wells）
教皇フランシスコは22日、日曜正午の祈りで、新型コロナウイルスの世界的感染拡大に対して、私たちの父にともに祈るように、そして、どこにいても変わらぬ「祈り、思いやり、優しさ」をもって結束し、最も孤独で試されている人たちに寄り添う心をもって対応するよう、全世界の全てのキリスト教徒に促された。
この日の祈りに続いて教皇は、全てのキリスト教徒に対して、共に祈るよう呼びかけられた。「この試練の日々、新型ウイルスの世界的感染拡大で人々はひどく怯えていますが、私は、皆で天の父に向かってともに声を上げることを提案します」。
＊受胎告知の祝日、25日に主の祈りを共に唱えよう
具体的には、受胎告知の祝日である3月25日の水曜日に、「諸教会の長たちと全ての教会共同体のリーダーたちが、様々な形の告白をする全てのキリスト教徒とともに、全能なる方、全知全能の神に救いを求めて呼びかけ、私たちの主なるイエスが教えてくださった、『私たちの父よ‥』で始まる祈りを唱える」ことを求められた。
そして、「神がイエス・キリストとなったこの世に来られることを告げる、乙女マリアへの受胎告知を多くのキリスト教徒が思い起こすこの日（25日）に、復活されたキリストの勝利を祝う準備をするイエスの弟子たち全ての一致した祈りを、主がお聴きくださるように」と祈られた。
＊27日に祈りの式、特別なUrbi et Orbi（使徒的祝福）、赦免
さらに、教皇は3月27日に聖ペトロ大聖堂の正面の階段を上ったsagratoで祈りの式をすることを明らかにされ、「各種の通信手段を使って、全ての方がこれに参加するようにお勧めします」と述べらた。
この式は聖書朗読、主に救いを願う祈り、聖体の礼拝、そして最後に、教皇がUrbi et Orbi（教皇祝福）をされる。様々な通信手段を通じての実況中継でこれを聴き、先に内赦院が出した教令の条件を満たすことで、全免償を受けることができる。「ローマと世界」に向けたこの祝福は、通常は、年に二回、復活祭とクリスマスに限ってされるものだ。
＊祈りの式は日本時間28日午前2時から動画配信
バチカンの報道官によると、この27日の儀式は、同日ローマ時間午後6時（日本時間28日午前2時）から、バチカンから生放送される。また、この祝福に伴う全免償を受けるにはバチカン内赦院が出した（注：新型コロナウイルスに感染した信徒、家族、対策に関わる医療・保健従事者、そして彼らの為に祈ることを含めて対応をしている人に特別の全免償を受ける恵みを与える、とした）教令の条件を満たす必要がある、という。
教皇はまた、この日の祈りの終わりに、26日朝に大地震に見舞われたクロアチアの人々に心を向けられ、「復活された主が、クロアチアの人々に、この災難に立ち向かう力と連帯をお与えください」と祈られた。
（翻訳「カトリック・あい」南條俊二）
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【参考】
教皇庁内赦院は、新型コロナウイルス患者とその家族、医療関係者をはじめ、このパンデミック危機下にあるすべての信者らに、特別免償を定めた教令を発表した。
＊バチカン内赦院が出した教令（公式英文訳）は以下の通り
The gift of special Indulgences is granted to the faithful suffering from COVID-19 disease, commonly known as Coronavirus, as well as to health care workers, family members and all those who in any capacity, including through prayer, care for them.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Rom 12: 12). The words written by Saint Paul to the Church of Rome resonate throughout the entire history of the Church and guide the judgment of the faithful in the face of all suffering, sickness and calamity.
The present moment in which the whole of humanity, threatened by an invisible and insidious disease, which for some time now has become part of all our lives, is marked day after day by anguished fears, new uncertainties and above all widespread physical and moral suffering.
The Church, following the example of her Divine Master, has always had the care of the sick at heart. As Saint John Paul II points out, the value of human suffering is twofold: “It is supernatural because it is rooted in the divine mystery of the Redemption of the world, and it is likewise deeply human, because in it the person discovers himself, his own humanity, his own dignity, his own mission” (Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris, 31).
Pope Francis, too, in these recent days, has shown his paternal closeness and renewed his invitation to pray incessantly for those who are sick with the Coronavirus.
So that all those who suffer because of COVID-19, precisely in the mystery of this suffering, may rediscover “the same redemptive suffering of Christ” (ibid., 30), this Apostolic Penitentiary, ex auctoritate Summi Pontificis, trusting in the word of Christ the Lord and considering with a spirit of faith the epidemic currently underway, to be lived in a spirit of personal conversion, grants the gift of Indulgences in accordance with the following disposition.
The Plenary Indulgence is granted to the faithful suffering from Coronavirus, who are subject to quarantine by order of the health authority in hospitals or in their own homes if, with a spirit detached from any sin, they unite spiritually through the media to the celebration of Holy Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion, or if at least they will recite the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, offering this trial in a spirit of faith in God and charity towards their brothers and sisters, with the will to fulfil the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy Father’s intentions), as soon as possible.
Health care workers, family members and all those who, following the example of the Good Samaritan, exposing themselves to the risk of contagion, care for the sick of Coronavirus according to the words of the divine Redeemer: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15: 13), will obtain the same gift of the Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions.
This Apostolic Penitentiary also willingly grants a Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions on the occasion of the current world epidemic, also to those faithful who offer a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Eucharistic adoration, or reading the Holy Scriptures for at least half an hour, or the recitation of the Holy Rosary, or the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross, or the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, to implore from Almighty God the end of the epidemic, relief for those who are afflicted and eternal salvation for those whom the Lord has called to Himself.
The Church prays for those who find themselves unable to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and of the Viaticum, entrusting each and every one to divine Mercy by virtue of the communion of saints and granting the faithful a Plenary Indulgence on the point of death, provided that they are duly disposed and have recited a few prayers during their lifetime (in this case the Church makes up for the three usual conditions required). For the attainment of this indulgence the use of the crucifix or the cross is recommended (cf. Enchiridion indulgentiarum, no.12).
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, Health of the Sick and Help of Christians, our Advocate, help suffering humanity, saving us from the evil of this pandemic and obtaining for us every good necessary for our salvation and sanctification.
The present Decree is valid notwithstanding any provision to the contrary.
Given in Rome, from the seat of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on 19 March 2020.
Mauro Cardinal Piacenza Major Penitentiary Krzysztof Nykiel Regent
At the close of his remarks following the Angelus, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the people of Croatia, which was struck by magnitude 5.4 earthquake Sunday morning. The Holy Father prayed, “May the Risen Lord give them the strength and solidarity to face this calamity”.
