(Reuters) – Online, on television and even in their cars in church parking lots, American Christians will, due to the coronavirus pandemic, observe an Easter Sunday unlike any they have lived through.
Governors and health authorities across the United States have broadly asked residents to avoid gathering in large numbers, leading to the closure of schools, businesses and churches.
The COVID-19 respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus has claimed more than 16,000 lives across the United States and infected more than 450,000 people, with officials predicting the worst is yet to come.
Major U.S. religious institutions, including Roman Catholic dioceses and Protestant churches, have found alternatives to safely celebrate the holiest day on the Christian calendar.
The 2,200 members of the Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley, South Carolina, are turning to technology.
Reverend Jim Cawthon, 46, said he expects hundreds to spend Easter services in their cars in the megachurch’s parking lot, watching the proceedings on big outdoor