Amid coronavirus pandemic, how world celebrated Easter

The coronavirus pandemic has affected many celebrations around the world and this weekend orthodox Christians are observing Easter, their biggest holiday. In many Christian countries, a few worshippers came out for the festivities. Let's take a global look at how Easter is getting celebrated around the world.

Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia's Orthodox Church, led an Easter service in Moscow's biggest cathedral, Christ the Saviour. Due to the coronavirus threat, the public was not allowed to attend the service this year.

Dozens went to Main Sameba cathedral in the Tbilisi, Georgia, where the 87-year-old Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II held the service. Most of the people, including the priestswore masks during the service.

Orthodox Greeks observed Easter mass in front of TV screens instead of visiting churchers as Greece's archbishop conducted the mass to an empty cathedral due to the coronavirus lockdown. Greece tightened lockdown measures for the Easter holiday, prohibiting people from leaving their place of residence to visit friends and family.

Across the capital, lights were on inside homes as the public respected the lockdown.

Orthodox Belarusians brought traditional Easter food to be blessed in the capital Minsk, despite the coronavirus threat. After the service, which was held inside the church, as usual, priests went outside to sprinkle holy water on Easter cakes and painted eggs as they do every Easter but with much fewer people presented this time.

The country's President Alexander Lukashenko, who is in power since 1994, has been skeptical about the need for strong action to curb the spread of the virus.