Easter at the time of the coronavirus: difficult commemoration in Rome and elsewhere

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Christians celebrated Good Friday, April 10, whenever possible. As every year in Rome, Pope Francis presided over a Stations of the Cross commemorating the passion, death and the burial of Jesus according to the Gospels. But no celebration at the Colosseum this year due to the confinement measures in the Italian capital, but in a deserted Saint-Pierre square and in impressive silence.

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With our Vatican correspondent, Eric Sénanque

Pope Francis bowed head, forehead against a cross: this is one of the images of the evening of Friday April 10 in Rome. But for the first time, the traditional Way of the Cross was held behind closed doors in a Saint Peter's Square which seemed even more gigantic, lit only by torches to the bottom of the basilica, where the crucifix of the Roman church of Saint-Marcel. It is believed that he saved Rome from the plague in the 16th century .

Only a dozen people physically took part in this ceremony: prisoners and members of the Vatican medical staff who alternated to carry a cross. The prisoners from Padua had been chosen by the pope to write texts read between each stage of this celebration.

A meditation on suffering, which joins that of men in their solitudes, especially at the time of the pandemic. During this Stations of the Cross, the Pope remained silent, except for the blessing prayers.

A few hours before this ceremony, François had invited himself live on a program on Italian television Rai, devoted to Good Friday, to remind him of his proximity to all the victims of the pandemic.

In the UK, the lack of embrace at the time of Covid-19

With our special correspondent in London, Anissa El-Jabri

“ The Covid-19 virus has turned our lives upside down. It is difficult to understand ”: to listen to this sermon from a pastor in central London, you have to go to the church website .

Because the steps of this large gray and green building in the center of the English capital are empty: nothing to do with the usual crowd, as explained by one of her pastors, Melinda Hendry. “ Normally we would have had a lot of celebrations here, a lot of families with their children. "

No rallies in this period, and a lot of waiting for contacts, especially by phone. " We phone a lot more, especially the older ones ," she continues. In total, at least three or four times more conversations than usual. People worry about themselves, their families ... People mostly feel sad and anxious. There are already members of our church who have died from Covid-19. It's very very hard, it's very difficult not to be able to hug people, to cry with them. We are all waiting for the day when we can do it again. "

A few tears come to mind in Mélina Hendry's eyes. No question for this pastor to overflow, she knows: she will have to support those who call her for many more weeks, because the peak of the epidemic is still far away, as the British government repeated on Friday April 10.

Believers in the UK live the epidemic hard

Anissa El Jabri

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• Coronavirus
• Vatican
• Pope Francis
• Christianity
• Religion
• UK

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