Christians ring in Holy Week with online events amid corona scare

Online Eucharistic celebrations are not unheard of, given that the Christian community across the globe has access to televised versions on religious channels. For the longest time, the clergy had maintained that watching mass from the comfort of your home was not as good as attending it in church — something that the Corona pandemic has turned on its head.
Since the crisis broke out, churches across the world have been encouraging the community to partake in online services.In namma Bengaluru too, individual parishes began floating streaming links among members a couple of weeks ago, in preparation for the Holy Week that began yesterday with Palm Sunday. “These are extraordinary times and the church has adapted in keeping with the need of the hour,” says Fr George Rebeiro, who did his first Facebook live sermon yesterday.
With Easter Sunday, April 12, being during the lockdown period, the Christian community is looking at celebrating all of the Holy Week ceremonies, including Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, at home. Parishioners have been ensuring uninterrupted live streaming. The Archdiocese of Bengaluru has even launched an app to follow updates on Easter celebrations at different churches.
Sixty four-year-old Yelahanka-resident Patricia Rebello and her two kids live in flats in the same housing complex. While Sunday mass was a family outing ritual for them, with everything going online, they are looking at keeping up the spirit of the season by dressing up for it, even if they are at home.“The lethargy that one might have from being at home during the lockdown may only increase, especially when you don’t have family with you to celebrate the occasion. So, it’s good to dress up as you would for service while attending a live stream,” she says.