VATICAN CITY (AP) – Christianity’s happiest feast day was celebrated around the world with believers sitting at distant benches and singing “Hallelujah” choirs through facial covers on a second Easter Sunday conditioned by pandemic precautions.
From Protestant churches in South Korea to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, the faithful followed national or local regulations to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus.
In a hospital in the Lombardy region of Italy, where the pandemic first broke out in the West in February 2020, a hospital gave a traditional dove-shaped Easter cake symbolizing peace to each person who lined up for a vaccine COVID-19. Many who attended were in their 80s and were accompanied by adult children.
In Jerusalem, restrictions on air travel and quarantine regulations prevented foreign pilgrims from going to religious sites during Holy Week, which culminates in Easter celebrations.
In St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis sprinkled incense near an icon of Jesus and said: “May the joy of Easter extend to the whole world.”
The approximately 200 faithful who were able to attend seemed lost in the cavernous cathedral. Typically, thousands attended the popular service and a crowd gathered outside St. Peter’s Square, with more than 100,000 sometimes gathering to receive the Pope’s special Easter blessing after Mass.
Pope Francis delivers his Urbi et Orbi blessing after celebrating Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Sunday, April 4, 2021, during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. (Filippo Monteforte / photo of the pool via AP)
((Filippo Monteforte / photo of the pool via AP))
But this year, like last year, crowds are forbidden to meet in Italy and the Vatican. Thus, Francis scheduled his midday Easter speech on world affairs to be delivered from within the basilica.
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Intending to contain weeks of growing infections, the Italian government has ordered people to stay home for the three-day weekend, except for essential tasks like buying food or exercising. Prime Minister Mario Draghi made a concession. allowing a visit to family or friends a day in the regions of origin of the residents over the long weekend, which includes the national holiday of Little Easter on Monday.
In Jerusalem, Easter religious service in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was celebrated by the Latin Patriarch Pierbattista, the senior Catholic clergyman in the Holy Land. The location in the Old City of Jerusalem is where many Christians believe that Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead.
Israel launched one of the most successful vaccination campaigns in the world, allowing the country to reopen restaurants, hotels and religious sites. Israel captured the Old City, home to sacred sites of the three Abrahamic religions, in a 1967 war and then annexed it in a movement not recognized by the international community.
In South Korea, the Yoido Full Gospel Church, the largest Protestant church in the country, allowed only 2,000 members to attend the Easter service, or about 17% of the capacity of the church’s main building. Masked church members sang hymns, clapped their hands and prayed while the service was broadcast online and on Christian TV channels.
Seoul’s Myeongdong Catholic Cathedral, the largest Catholic church in South Korea, limited participation in mass to 20% capacity and broadcast the Easter service on YouTube live.
In the southern Italian region of Puglia, the governor and many mayors asked the faithful to stay at home and watch Mass on TV. The region is one of many in Italy under the most severe ” red zone ” restrictions due to the COVID-19 infection rate.
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Attending the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday night is a popular practice for many in Italy. But with the nation under the curfew from 10 pm to 5 am, churches increased the traditional start time by a few hours. Church bells in Italy called people to church services earlier, tolling before sunset in some places.
A similar scenario has occurred in France, which is recovering from a frightening increase in cases of COVID-19 that are hitting already overburdened hospitals. Some French churches held their traditional Easter midnight services just before dawn on Sunday, instead of Saturday night, due to the curfew across the country from 7pm to 6am.
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AP reporters from around the world contributed.