The ceremony began with a procession from the church of St. Anselm to the Basilica of St. Sabina.
He recommended silence, fasting and prayer to mark these 40 days of Lent.
The procession takes place from St. Anselm to the Basilica of St. Sabina on Aventine Hill, one of Rome's seven hills.
In light of the message, the president of the Vatican's hospital expresses concern about the coronavirus spreading to countries less prepared to deal with the epidemic.
Meditations will be led by Jesuit priest, Pietro Bovati, who is nearly 80 years old.
There are Masses, prayers, novenas and even conferences offered for free for Catholics worldwide.
Liturgical celebrations will be observed without the presence of the faithful, who are encouraged to follow them through live broadcasts.
He invites Christian leaders to simultaneously pray an Our Father this coming Wednesday, for an end to the pandemic.
Events have been transformed from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday this year.
Every Ash Wednesday since 2014, he has focused on a different aspect of Lent.
At the end of the hour-long ceremony, Pope Francis gave the Urbi et Orbi blessing, granting Catholics the possibility to obtain a plenary indulgence.
The "Coronavirus Holy Week" begins in the Eternal City.
They can be shipped to a person's house, so they can give and make sacrifices, even while on lockdown.
He celebrated Mass with a handful of his collaborators in St. Peter's Basilica.
It will be an extraordinary manifestation lasting a few hours at the cathedral of Turin on Holy Saturday.
Events have been adapted to account for the coronavirus.
Since the Chrism Mass was rescheduled, Pope Francis remembered them at the Mass commemorating the Institution of the Eucharist.
The Good Friday service took place behind closed doors, as planned.
The pandemic forced changes in how the liturgy was carried out. In a preventive measure, only the celebrant kissed the cross.
He asks for debt to be forgiven, sanctions to be lifted and arms spending to be cut, to allocate resources for the emergency. He warns of disintegration in Europe and prays for Venezuela.
