- Title: In locked down south Lebanon village, Palm Sunday tours the streets
- Date: 5th April 2020
- Summary: QLAYAA, MARJAYOUN, SOUTH LEBANON (APRIL 5, 2020) (REUTERS ) PRIEST STANDING ON A PICK UP TRUCK ROAMING IN THE VILLAGE AND BLESSING FAMILIES ON THE STREET / RELIGIOUS HYMNS PLAYING FROM ANOTHER CAR IN THE CONVOY PRIEST BLESSING PEOPLE ON THE STREETS FROM THE TRUCK - WOMEN THROWING FLOWER PETALS AT CONVOY MORE OF PRIEST BLESSING FAMILIES STANDING OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSES - SOUND OF HYMNS AND PRAYERS IN THE BACKGROUND PEOPLE WAITING ON THE STREET - HYMNS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRIEST OF QLAYAA PARISH, FATHER PIERRE AL-RAI, SAYING: "This year, our faithful people can't come to the church to participate so the whole church came to them, for all of us to be together in welcoming our Lord Jesus Christ on the occasion of Palm Sunday." CHILDREN HOLDING PALM SUNDAY CANDLES AS THEY LOOK OUT FROM THE WINDOW OF A CAR TO BE BLESSED BY PRIESTS MORE OF PRIEST ROAMING AND BLESSING - AUDIO OF HYMNS PLAYING FROM CONVOY GIRL WEARING MASK AND HOLDING CANDLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE RESIDENT OF QLAYAA VILLAGE, RAYMOND SALAMEH, SAYING: "We are waiting for Jesus Christ to pass by to welcome him like people welcomed him some 2000 years ago. Coronavirus took us 2000 years back in time, and this is the true meaning of Palm Sunday." MORE OF PRIESTS ROAMING IN THE VILLAGE AND BLESSING PEOPLE PALM SUNDAY MASS ONGOING IN CHURCH WITH VERY FEW PEOPLE ATTENDING ALMOST EMPTY CHURCH BENCHES AT PAM SUNDAY MASS WOMAN LIGHTING CANDLES DURING THE MASS PRIEST PRAYING
- Embargoed: 19th April 2020 15:47
- Keywords: Lebanon Palm Sunday South Lebanon church coronavirus disease health prayers
- Location: QLAYAA, SOUTH LEBANON
- City: QLAYAA, SOUTH LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001C87QJIF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Families in the Lebanese southern Christian village of Qlayaa in Marjayoun stood outside their homes on Palm Sunday (April 5) as the parish priest roamed around on a pick-up truck, blessing the faithful.
People could not go to church because of the novel coronavirus lockdown in the country. Instead, "the whole church came to them," Father Pierre al-Rai said.
Families, some holding olive branches and candles, welcomed the traveling convoy with prayers, congrats and religious hymns.
Christians mark the day as Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was hailed by the crowd as Messiah, only to be crucified days later. The poor wanted to follow him but they had nothing but Palm leaves, which later became a symbol of following Jesus.
Lebanon has recorded 527 COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths as of Sunday noon.
(Production: Karamallah Daher, Hamuda Hassan, Yara Abi Nader) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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