During a recorded speech given to students at the Ecumenical Institute for the Middle East, Pope Tawāḍrūs II said that God sent the Coronavirus plague to serve as a warning to mankind to watch itself as it develops technology and makes new discoveries.  He added that mankind believes that it is the master and has thus forgotten God.  He also said that mankind has gotten farther away from God and has fallen into many sins such as atheism and homosexuality.