Pope Francis Called The COVID-19 Pandemic A Reaction To Natural Degradation

Pope Francis. (Photo: Twitter @Pontifex)

JAKARTA - Pope Francis said the emergence of the new corona virus pandemic or COVID-19 is a natural response to humans who ignore the current ecological crisis.

The statement was attached to an email interview published yesterday by The Tablet and Commonwealth magazine. The Pope said that this plague offers humanity an opportunity to slow down the rate of production and consumption. In addition, this pandemic is a lesson to understand and reflect on the natural conditions in this world.

"I don't know exactly if this is retaliation from nature, but the disasters that have occurred are certainly natural responses," the Pope was quoted as saying by CNN.

However, the Pope is not referring to just one catastrophe. He gave an example of several recent disasters such as forest fires in Australia, melting glaciers in the Arctic, and floods that have occurred in several regions of the world.

Meanwhile the COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the way the Vatican operates. We can see this when the Pope celebrates Palm Sunday Mass in an empty church. And the sites that were usually filled with tourists, are now empty.

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The pandemic has also changed the life of the 83-year-old Pope. This man, who was known to have damaged lungs due to infection in his 20s, had twice tested negative for the coronavirus.

The Pope continues to work on himself to avoid COVID-19 by distancing himself from anyone who has the potential to carry the virus. He almost always eats in his private room, and uses hand sanitizer before and after meeting any guests.

In addition, the Pope also warned against the rise of populist politicians who only focus on the economy. He himself worries about hypocritical politicians who talk about the importance of facing the crisis, talk about hunger in the world, while they are still creating weapons.

Finally, the Pope encouraged those currently in quarantine or lockdown situations to find creative ways to stay indoors.

"Take care of yourself for the future to come," said Pope Francis.