Coronavirus forces changes in Good Friday worship.
Expressions of faith in many religious services emphasize close contact: hand-holding, sharing Communion in Christian churches, touching or kissing religious objects at synagogues. These practices are now being avoided and replaced by social distancing as the religious rituals of hundreds of millions of people undergo profound changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many religious authorities are closing places of worship or have placed a limit on public gatherings. Easter, Passover and Ramadan, which occur within weeks of each other in April, will face major disruptions due to social distancing policies
Some houses of worship have embraced technological solutions, such as livestreaming services or offering drive-through confessions. . At the same time, many religious leaders have appealed to their followers to not only take safety precautions, but also to embrace their spirituality to help confront the health, social and economic challenges ahead.
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Here is a look at how the faithful come together, yet separately, in this time of pandemic.
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