ROME (AP) — The Vatican’s Santa Marta hotel was built to sequester cardinals during papal elections. It’s now sequestering soon-to-be cardinals in town for this weekend’s ceremony to get their red hats, A handful are in protective coronavirus quarantine, confined to their rooms on Vatican orders and getting meals delivered to their doors. The 10-day quarantines, with COVID-19 tests administered at the start and finish, are just one example of how Saturday’s meeting to elevate new cardinals in the time of coronavirus is like nothing the Holy See has ever seen. Cardinal-designate Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel, the retired archbishop of Chiapas, Mexico, said the Vatican had told him he'd have to quarantine but he didn't think it would be so strict.
Andrew Medichini/AP
A shop attendant prepares orders in the Gammarelli clerical clothing shop, in Rome, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. The consistory to elevate new cardinals scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28, in the time of coronavirus is like nothing the Holy See has ever seen. A handful of soon-to-be cardinals are in protective coronavirus quarantine, including African-American, Cardinal-designate Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington who explained that a U.S.-based ecclesiastical tailor took his measurements while he was still in Washington and sent them to Gammarelli, which then made them to order and sent them to Santa Marta hotel where he is undergoing the quarantine. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
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