Vatican City, August 3 (RHC)-- Pope Francis has called on politicians to create jobs so that economies can relaunch from the lockdowns imposed to combat the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Associated Press news agency.

The Pope, speaking after his traditional Sunday blessing at Vatican City, said that "without work, families and society cannot go forward.  Let us pray for this, because this will be a problem in the post-pandemic period, the poverty and the lack of jobs.  It requires lots of solidarity and lots of creativity to resolve this problem."

The pontiff also wished the faithful "some days of rest, and contact with nature, to recharge also in the spiritual dimension."

The Pope's remarks follow a week in which officials released statistics showing a record plunge in both the United States and eurozone economies.