Empty pews mark second Covid Easter

Christianity’s most joyous feast day was celebrated with the faithful sitting far apart in pews and singing in masks, again.

From Protestant churches in South Korea to St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, worshippers followed Covid precautions.

At a hospital in the Lombardy region of Italy, where the pandemic first erupted in the west in February 2020, a hospital gave a traditional dove shaped Easter cake symbolising peace to each person receiving a vaccine.

Travel restrictions prevented foreigners flocking to Jerusalem in Holy Week, which ends 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 200 or so faithful allowed to attend looked lost in the huge cathedral.

Normally a crowd would gather outside in St Peter’s Square, with often 100,000 assembling to receive the pope’s Easter blessing.

But this year, like last year, crowds are banned from gathering in Italy, and at the Vatican.

Intent on cutting weeks of surging infections, the Italian government ordered people to stay at home during the three-day weekend except for essential errands.

Premier Mario Draghi did grant a concession, permitting one visit to family or friends per day in residents’ home regions over the long weekend, which includes the Little Easter national holiday today.

In Jerusalem, the Easter service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was celebrated by Latin Patriarch Pierbattista, the senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land.

The site in Jerusalem’s Old City is where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead.

Israel has launched one of the world’s most successful vaccination campaigns, allowing the country to reopen restaurants, hotels and religious sites.

In South Korea, Yoido Full Gospel Church, the biggest Protestant church, allowed about 2,000 members to attend Easter service, about 17% capacity.

Masked church members sang and prayed as the service was broadcast.

France, reeling from a frightful upsurge in Covid19, held traditional midnight Easter services before dawn yesterday instead of Saturday night.

VATICAN: Priest Guido Marini helps Pope Francis down after the pontiff’s Easter mass.