Aseel Jundi - occupied Jerusalem
In vain, the Jerusalemite lady, Nahil Khoury, tries to alleviate the tension of her child, Lord, who does not stop asking questions about the possibility of celebrating Easter like the previous years, after she and her family were subjected to quarantine at home, in light of the declaration of the state of emergency due to the Corona virus.
When will we decorate the house? Where will I buy Eid clothes? And when will we go out to visit my grandpa's house? What is the shape of Ritualism that I will carry in the path of Palm Sunday?
Thus, she asks the eight-year-old girl, whose life and family were turned upside down about two weeks ago, she no longer goes to her school, and she does not participate in Easter activities.
Nahil stands helpless in response to the wishes of her child, and says, "At this time of the year, we used to start buying clothes for my children, and I use the Internet to learn about new ideas for children in the Palm Sunday in the church and the march, and I also start decorating the house and preparing it to receive the feast, but this year My mind focuses on how and when the Corona crisis will end. "
Nahil never imagined that a virus would deprive her and her family of going to a church to attend Easter prayers, one of the most important Christian holidays in which they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Jesus, peace be upon him, from his grave in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, according to their beliefs.
Despite her girl’s eagerness to participate in the mass rituals of the feast in Jerusalem, she will apparently have to celebrate at her home, and the mother says that her daughter “has kept this year fasting despite her young age, so she is more enthusiastic about the coming of the holiday than her two male brothers, and to bring joy to Her heart will dye eggs at home, and we will make our prayers alone in it, but we will not buy new clothes, nor will we make a rationale for them to carry in the church. "
This situation is not limited to the family of Nahil Khoury and her child, Lord Zaro, but also includes all Christian Jerusalemite families who will not be able to celebrate Eid this year.
The child Basil Sahar, 13, told Al-Jazeera Net that at this time every year he used to go to the shopping malls to buy Eid clothes, while his mother was interested in buying cakes and hospitality offered to their visitors.
"I am anxiously awaiting the Palm Sunday procession, and I participate with the clergy and thousands of Christians coming to participate in it from all over the world, but we will all be deprived of it this year," Sahar said.
| Scouts, Christians, and clerics led by Archbishop, Apostolic Archbishop Pierre Battista Pitsapala in the Palm Sunday procession (archive) |
ritual
Christians are unanimous in that Easter masses are what distinguishes them, as everyone participating in them feels exceptional spirituality. In addition to the masses that are held during the fasting period, Christians intensify their attendance at prayers in the "Holy Week", which begins with "Palm Sunday", to commemorate the reception of the Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him upon entering Jerusalem, and the release of his suffering, which eventually led to his crucifixion, according to the belief. Christian.
The "Holy Week" extends from one Palm Sunday to Easter, and with the arrival of the "Khamis Al-Asrar" Christians revive the rituals of "The Last Supper Night", and the next day they celebrate the "Good Friday" as "the memory of the day when the Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, was crucified" - according to their belief - It is the Friday before Easter.
With the advent of the "Sabbath of Light", attention turns to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, and the church and its courtyard teem with worshipers, and on this day the church bells ring until the Patriarch prays, and silence reigns, until he carries the lit flame out of the grave; By the resurrection of Mr. Jesus, peace be upon him. "According to the Christian belief.
| Bishop Atallah Hana hopes a miracle will end the virus (Al-Jazeera) |
Archbishop Atallah Hanna, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, confirms that all religious rituals associated with the "Holy Week" will take place in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, according to the program followed every year, but he pointed out that worshipers should not ignore the crisis experienced by everyone due to the Corona virus, calling for Commitment to all controls and precautions aimed at limiting the spread of the virus.
"From an emotional standpoint, it hurts me to see the corridors of the church empty, but the current situation requires us to act out of rationality and responsibility, and we can all - Christians and Muslims - plead to God to protect our country and ourselves from this pernicious epidemic," he added.
Hanna concluded his speech with Al-Jazeera Net by saying that "the fathers and monks in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher perform and will perform all the religious rituals for Easter," hoping that Christians will be able to celebrate collectively in the church "in the event that a divine miracle occurs to end the spread of this virus."