- Title: Belarusian churchgoers gather for service as coronavirus cases rise
- Date: 5th April 2020
- Summary: VARIOUS OF CHURCHGOERS KISSING WOODEN CROSS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CHURCH OF SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL PRIEST, JAN PUZYN, SAYING: "There is a quarantine every year in hospitals and people don't take it seriously. I'm a little surprised that people are taking this quarantine so seriously because if we follow the recommendations that are issued today, I think they're very similar to the ones that are given when people have the flu. I've not read up on it completely." WOMAN IN MASK SITTING IN PEW IN FRONT OF CROSS PUZYN HOLDING CHURCH SERVICE CANDLES PUZYN HOLDING CHURCH SERVICE CONGREGATION LISTENING PUZYN TAKING COMMUNION CANDLES (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CHURCH OF SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL PRIEST, JAN PUZYN, SAYING: "I saw today that there were fewer of us, there used to be a lot of us, and I thought that we shouldn't have a cross procession today. I asked Jesus to forgive us for not having a cross procession this year, on this Palm Sunday, maybe we're not completely ready." VARIOUS OF CROSSES ON HILL
- Embargoed: 19th April 2020 19:15
- Keywords: belarus coronavirus covid-19 palm sunday
- Location: ASHMYANY, BELARUS
- City: ASHMYANY, BELARUS
- Country: Belarus
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA002C87SS3R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Churchgoers in the Belarusian town of Ashmyany attended a Palm Sunday service on Sunday (April 5) despite a rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country.
The traditional cross procession was not held this year due to a fall in congregation numbers, according to Church of Saint Michael the Archangel priest Jan Puzyn.
However, as part of the service at the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel, many of the churchgoers kissed a wooden cross, contrary to the social distancing rules many countries across the world are implementing to slow the spread of the virus.
Current figures estimate that Belarus has had 562 confirmed cases, a jump of 122 from Saturday (April 4) with eight deaths, three more than Saturday, from the coronavirus.
(Production: Vasily Fedosenko, Peter Scott) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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