Pope Francis offered prayers and a special blessing in a live streamed service before an almost empty square outside St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday afternoon.

Under rainy skies, the Urbi et Orbi (“from the city to world”) blessing from Rome was shown on Catholic-run television channels and social media.

“You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful," the pope prayed. "But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm.”

In an English translation of his homily provided by National Catholic Register, Pope Francis cited a passage of the Gospel of St. Matthew where Jesus calms the sea during a storm that terrified his disciples.

Likening it to the current pandemic that has gripped the globe, the pontiff said, “In this storm, the façade of those stereotypes with which we camouflaged our egos, always worrying about our image, has fallen away, uncovering once more that (blessed) common belonging, of which we cannot be deprived: our belonging as brothers and sisters.”

“We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we founder: we need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars,” Pope Francis said. “Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will experience that with him on board there will be no shipwreck.”

The papal blessing followed Wednesday’s live-streamed ceremony during which Christians of all denominations were able to join the pope in praying the “Our Father.”

There are more than 558,000 cases of coronavirus worldwide, resulting in more than 25,000 deaths.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related content: