By Catholic News Agency staff

[Vatican City – CNA) – Pope Francis will deliver his Regina Caeli address from the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020, for the first time since coronavirus restrictions were imposed in March.

In a statement May 26, the Holy See press office said that on May 31 the pope would recite the Regina Caeli (the Queen of Heaven antiphons addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary) with pilgrims gathered in the square below.

“Regina caeli laetare, alleluia / quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia / ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia”

“The police will guarantee safe access to the square and will ensure that the faithful present can respect the necessary interpersonal distance,” said the Holy See press statement.

Traditionally, the pope leads the Sunday Angelus– and the Regina Caeli, between Easter Sunday and Pentecost – from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

But from March 8 onwards, Pope Francis delivered his address via videolink from the library of the Apostolic Palace, and offered a blessing from the window above an empty St. Peter’s Square.

People were allowed in St. Peter’s Square for the pope’s Sunday blessing for the first time in more than 10 weeks on Sunday, May 24 after Italy significantly loosened its coronavirus restrictions.

Each person who entered the square was required to wear a face mask and security enforced social distancing for the people gathered outside of St. Peter’s Basilica, which reopened to the public May 18.

The Holy See press office said that before the May 31 Regina Caeli, the pope would celebrate a Pentecost Mass, without the presence of the people, in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at St. Peter’s Basilica.

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