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As countdown to Good Friday, Easter begins, Mohali churches conduct prayer services online amid lockdown
Even as the 25 churches in the tricity remained closed on Palm Sunday because of the nationwide lockdown, heads of various churches offered prayer services to the 20,000 members of the Christian community
As the countdown has begun from Palm Sunday yesterday for Good Friday on April 10 and Easter on April 12, tricity churches have started conducting prayer services online for the Holy Week, encouraging people to stay at home following the Covid-19 outbreak.
Even as the 25 churches in the tricity remained closed on Palm Sunday because of the nationwide lockdown, heads of various churches offered prayer services to the 20,000 members of the Christian community here through YouTube, Facebook live and WhatsApp in remembrance of the passion, suffering and death of Lord Jesus Christ.
“Since the past two weeks we have been offering prayers through YouTube and have already crossed 5,000 viewers in our diocese. Directions have been given to priests of various churches to offer prayers and pass it on to the people through social media. We will be live streaming prayers on Thursday, Good Friday and Saturday,” said Rev Ignatius Mascarenhas, Bishop of Simla Chandigarh Diocese.
The Holy Week is also a time to reach out to others, perhaps by contacting distant family or friends. “Consider calling someone who might be lonely or anxious during the pandemic,” Rev Mascarenhas advised.
Setting up a sacred space at home for worship will help people stay at home during the pandemic and engage with the divine with devotion, said Lawrence Malik, adviser, Tricity Churches Association. Most of the church heads were offering prayers on social media, especially on WhatsApp and through YouTube, he added.
Rev Brian Anderson, pastor, Light of the World Church, Zirakpur, said, “We are offering prayers through Facebook Live and YouTube. We are also using the Zoom app to talk to people and pray for them. Prayers are also being offered for people suffering from coronavirus,” he added.
