Russia’s Orthodox Easter amid the coronavirus pandemic
Late into Saturday evening and before the crack of dawn on Sunday, Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter over the weekend. This year’s services had to reckon with self-isolation containment measures in place to curb the spread of coronavirus, which led many churches across Russia to close their doors to the public and broadcast their ceremonies online. In some areas, however, churches remained open to worshippers, who came to celebrate Easter while wearing masks and socially distancing — sometimes.
St. Nicholas Cathedral in Murmansk, April 19, 2020
Lev Fedoseyev / TASS / Scanpix / LETA
For the first time in 30 years, St. Petersburg’s Kazan Cathedral holds Easter services without parishioners. April 19, 2020.
Pyotr Kovalyov / TASS / Scanpix / LETA
Priest Nikolai Gensitsky during Easter services
Alexey Malgavko / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
Troitsko-Uspenskiy Cathedral in Kineshma, April 19, 2020
Vladimir Smirnov / TASS / Scanpix / LETA
Services at Danilov Monastery in Moscow, April 19, 2020
Mikhail Mettsel / TASS / Scanpix / LETA
Worshippers before Easter services in the town of Yekaterininskoye, outside Omsk, on April 19, 2020.
Alexey Malgavko / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
The Church of Archangel Michael in Grozny on April 19, 2020
Elena Afonina / TASS / Scanpix / LETA
Nuns at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior during Easter services on April 19, 2020
Sergey Bobylev / TASS / Scanpix / LETA
Easter Services at the Church of Three Saints in the Krasnodar Territory, April 19, 2020
Sergey Pivovarov / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
Worshippers at the Danilov Monastery’s Trinity Cathedral in Moscow on April 19, 2020
Mikhail Mettsel / TASS / Scanpix / LETA
Patriarch Kirill during Easter services at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior on April 19, 2020
Oleg Varov / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA