Christians around the globe celebrated Holy Week in face masks and observing social distance guidelines as the coronavirus pandemic dramatically altered the sacred Easter season for a second straight year. In places with ongoing concerns about the spread of the virus, which has killed nearly 3 million people worldwide, state-mandated lockdowns meant empty or virtually empty celebrations where people normally would gather en masse. In the Vatican, Pope Francis presided over the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross ceremony in a barren St. Peter’s Square. In Quezon City, the Philippines, roads and churches were deserted on Good Friday after religious gatherings were prohibited in metropolitan Manila and four outlying provinces. But in Israel, which has implemented one of the world’s most aggressive vaccination programs, many public places including religious sites have been allowed to reopen. On Palm Sunday, nuns indulged in a wide-grinning group selfie — masks down — on Jerusalem’s...
from ABC News: US https://ift.tt/3cUNVch
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