Houses of worship gain audience by going online during virus

ANDREW SELSKY

Associated Press

On a rainy evening in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis delivered a special blessing, asking God for help against the coronavirus.

The square in Vatican City would normally be packed with onlookers, but no one was standing on the glistening cobblestones in March as he implored God to "not leave us at the mercy of the storm." Millions were watching on TV and online, however.

From the Vatican, to the village church, to mosques and temples, shuttered places of worship are streaming religious services for a global audience seeking spiritual help and connections with o...