Churches organise online mass on Easter amid COVID-19 outbreak

Worshipers prayed for the country, world to get through the pandemic

KARACHI: The Christian community in Karachi celebrated Easter Sunday by staying at their homes and attending ceremonies at various churches through video links, due to the lockdown.

During these online ceremonies, prayers were offered for the security and safety of Pakistan and its citizens from coronavirus.

Churches, like every other place of worship, have been restricted from organising gatherings or ceremonies as a safety measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and only specific individuals are allowed to enter them.

Therefore, on the occasion of Easter, special arrangements were made in churches across the city so that people may attend celebrations and prayers through online ceremonies.

During the celebration at Trinity Church, Bishop Sadiq Daniel stressed the need to avoid all acts such as gathering for worship and prayers as they can potentially be the cause of loss to humanity. He stated that the members of the church had been offering special prayers for Pakistan and the world as a whole to get through these difficult times.

Meanwhile, the participants of prayers stated that they had never seen an Easter celebration where the churches were empty. They added that it was heart-wrenching to have had to celebrate Easter like this.

However, they maintained that they hadn't lost hope, optimistic that their prayers will be accepted and humanity will overcome the pandemic.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2020.