Pope Francis walks in procession in front of the Cathedral of Camerino, Italy, as he arrives to celebrate mass, Sunday, June 16, 2019. The town of Camerino was heavily damaged by the 2016 earthquake that hit the central Italian Marche region. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope dons helmut to enter earthquake-hit cathedral in Italy

By The Associated Press June 16, 2019 at 4:35am

CAMERINO, Italy (AP) — Pope Francis donned a white firefighter’s safety helmet Sunday to enter a damaged cathedral during a visit to central Italy, where he gave encouragement to people still struggling three years after devastating earthquakes struck.

Francis traveled to the town of Camerino, which was shaken so badly in 2016 that people are still not allowed into the town center as work continues to stabilize buildings.

Before he entered the cathedral, a firefighter’s safety helmet was placed over Francis’ skullcap. Inside the cathedral, he was surrounded by firefighters and clergymen also wearing helmets. He placed flowers at a statue of the Virgin Mary, which was damaged in the earthquake. The statue’s head and arms are missing.

The image of Francis wearing a helmet mirrored the scene in Paris on Saturday of churchmen, including the archbishop of Paris, wearing hard hats as they celebrated the first Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral since a fire ravaged the landmark and toppled its spire on April 15.

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