Jerusalem had an early Easter miracle this week – the revival of religious meetings, thanks to an aggressive implementation of vaccination that led to a sharp decline in COVID cases.
Thousands filled the streets on Good Friday in the Christian quarter of the Old City for the Via Sacra procession, where the faithful retrace Jesus’ last steps before his crucifixion.
Masked crowds were seen shoulder to shoulder as the men dragged a replica of the cross through the narrow corridors.
“We have more hope that things will get better,” said the Apostolic Administrator, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa. “The message of Easter is life and love, despite all the signs of death, corona, pandemic, whatever it is, we believe in the power of love and life.”
Easter religious services were canceled last year in Jerusalem and in many parts of the world at the beginning of the pandemic.
Some sense of normalcy was resumed in Israel, where more than half of the population was vaccinated.
Even so, there are capacity restrictions for indoor Easter services, masks are mandatory and foreigners still need special permission to enter the country, hampering tourism.
“It still looks like it’s not normal,” said Hagop Karakashian, the owner of a famous pottery shop in the Old Town. “Locals can celebrate, yes. But something is still missing. “
With Post Wires