A handful of Eastern Orthodox priests held mass for the Christian holiday of Easter on Sunday in an empty Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem due to restrictions in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A handful of Eastern Orthodox priests held mass for the Christian holiday of Easter on Sunday in an empty Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem due to restrictions in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Eastern Christian rites mark Easter, the day Christians believe Jesus was resurrected after his crucifixion, on April 19, a week after the Catholic calendar.
Ordinarily, the church would be filled with faithful and tourists, but travel restrictions imposed in Israel to prevent the spread of the coronavirus have prevented the arrival of pilgrims to Jerusalem for the springtime holiday and limited the gathering of worshippers at the church.
Easter mass was performed by a small group of clergy at the Holy Sepulchre, the site where it is believed Jesus was entombed. The square outside was empty, the chur