The pandemic has shut down Easter celebrations in many Orthodox Christian countries. In Greece, police are patrolling outside churches to make sure priests holding closed-door services don't let in parishioners.
An Orthodox priest blesses traditional Easter cakes and painted eggs in preparation for Easter, outside a church in Minsk, Belarus on Saturday.An Orthodox priest blesses traditional Easter cakes and painted eggs in preparation for Easter, outside a church in Minsk, Belarus on Saturday.Orthodox Christians — 300 million worldwide — are observing Easter, their biggest holiday, this weekend.
"This Easter is different. We will not go to our villages, we will not roast in our yards, we will not go to our churches. And of course, we will not gather in the homes of relatives and friends," Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas told reporters on Friday."For us to continue being together, this year we stay apart."
Police are monitoring streets by drone and patrolling outside churches to make sure priests holding closed-door services do not let in parishioners.
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