Public officials in Slovakia have backed away from a requirement that anyone attending events during next week’s visit by Pope Francis must be vaccinated. The rule now requires vaccination, proven recovery, or a negative Covid test. The vaccination requirement had been holding attendance well below expected levels, in a country where barely over one-half of the population is vaccinated. The Catholic bishops of Slovakia had reluctantly acceded to the vaccination rule, as an alternative to limiting all papal events to crowds of under 1,000 people.