Vatican - World Day of the Poor: free swabs for the poor and other concrete initiatives
Vatican City, Vatican - November 2020 - On the occasion of the "World Day of the Poor", the health center under the colonnade of St. Peter's, by the Apostolic Charity, carried out 50 swabs a day for two weeks, in addition to the flu vaccine for the poor who have access to the dormitory or for those who intend to repatriate. Mons.Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, explained that despite the pandemic, the World Day of the Poor, established four years ago by Pope Francis, was celebrated with solemnity and with concrete initiatives compatible with the restrictive prescriptions set. Among the initiatives, with the support of various sponsors, the sending of 5,000 packages of food to the families of about 60 Roman parishes; 2.5 tons of pasta destined for family homes and charitable associations; 350,000 masks for school students, especially from the large peripheries.