Vatican had announced that pontiff would not be making traditional pilgrimage to avoid covid-19 contagion among crowds.

Pope Francis made a surprise visit to the statue of the Immaculate Conception near the Spanish Steps in central Rome at 07.00 on Tuesday 8 December.

The pope's private visit, in heavy rain, came days after the Vatican announced that the pontiff would not make his customary afternoon visit to Piazza Mignanelli due to the coronavirus pandemic.

La sorpresa di #PapaFrancesco a #piazzadispagna a #Roma per L a tradizionale cerimonia dell’#8dicembre, prima che i #vigilidelfuoco salissero con l’autoscala su, fino a 27 metri d’altezza, per donare alla #Madonna la corona di fiori @Pontifex_it pic.twitter.com/r9TB3iQGPK

— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) December 8, 2020

Pope Francis was photographed wearing a mask and holding a black umbrella, his head bowed in prayer.

The pope brought a bouquet of white roses which he laid at the base of the column, in a papal tradition dating back to 1953.

After his visit to Piazza di Spagna the pope travelled to the Basilica di S. Maria in Maggiore where he celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Nativity before returning to the Vatican.

Photo Vatican News