Catholic liturgy

In the town of Rakovski (southern Bulgaria), where the largest Catholic community in the country lives, today they celebrate Easter and will exercise their right of vote.

Citizens will first celebrate the holiday in the largest Catholic church in Bulgaria "Sacred Heart Of Jesus", then head to the polls.

In his Urbi et Orbi message delivered on Easter Day 2020, in the midst of a pandemic and with a Resurrection celebrated in churches without believers, Pope Francis said: "Today, the proclamation of the Church resounds throughout the world: "Jesus Christ is risen! - Truly He is risen!," writes Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest Aurel Perca in his Easter Pastoral Letter.

Ieronymos, Metropolitan Bishop of Egio and Kalavryta, in the Peloponnese, proceeded to bless the waters at the town of Egio, defying the instructions of the official Church.

He was accompanied by his predecessor, Amvrosios, a well-known extremist, who resigned in 2019, and two individuals who dove to retrieve a cross the bishop threw at sea.

The Orthodox Church celebrates, on Wednesday, the Baptism of the Lord or the Epiphany, and the liturgical events occasioned by this celebration will take place this year in compliance with the sanitary rules.

People maintain social distancing during an Easter service open for the public, as the Orthodox Easter was not celebrated by faithful in churches last April, because of a nationwide lockdown against the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Athens, Tuesday. [Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters]

Churches were last night to hold Easter Saturday services with congregations, which they had been unable to do in March due to the lockdown. 

Archbishop Ieronymos officiated over a service at Athens Cathedral from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m., while thousands of Orthodox faithful gathered at churches around the country to sing hymns celebrating the Resurrection of Christ. 

On Monday night churches around the country are to hold Easter Saturday services, which they had been unable to in March due to the lockdown. 

Photos of a Roman Catholic priest in the Detroit area using a squirt gun to spray parishioners with holy water in an attempt to maintain social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic have gone viral.

Churches throughout Greece opened their doors to the faithful after two months Sunday, but limited the number of congregants and dispensed disinfectant outside. Communion, however, was given using the same spoon.

Today is Bright Friday, the fifth day of the Bright Week, which is dedicated to St. Peter. The Bright Week, which commences on the second day after Easter, celebrates the Holy Apostles and the Holy Virgin, BNR recalls. The bright week ends with the second Easter on Sunday.