Orthodox churches empty for Easter amid pandemic

Kiev : Orthodox priests in much of Europe held Easter services in churches empty of parishoners because of restrictions imposed to block the spread of coronavirus.
Orthodox Christians are the world’s third largest group of Christian believers. They follow a different calendar. This year they celebrate Easter a week after Catholics and Protestants.
Last week’s Easter celebrations took place in empty churches while Pope Francis livestreamed his traditional message from the Vatican in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
In Moscow, St Petersburg and Kiev, priests at the services that began late Saturday night wore the elaborate robes that characterise Orthodoxy’s most important holy day and choirs sang, but worshippers could only see them on TV or online broadcasts.
Police were deployed outside hundreds of churches in Ukraine to ensure that anyone who came to stand outside a service observed regulations calling for social distancing and banning large gatherings.
A small exception was made at the Pechersk monastery in Kiev, where police allowed worshippers to enter the church one at a time, with the next person going inside when another left. About 100 people stood outside the monastery waiting to be let in.