Pope scraps St Peter's Crib visit amid Omicron fears

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 30 - Pope Francis on Thursday scrapped his scheduled Friday vsit to the Nativity Scene in St Peter's Square amid fear of gatherings causing COVID contagion due to the Omicron variant surge, the Vatican said.
    The event had been set for 18:00 Friday at the end of the Te Deum in the Basilica.
    "The event will not take place, in order to avoid gatherings and the consequent risk of COVID-19 contagions," said the Vatican press office. (ANSA).