Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher reopened to visitors on Sunday after a two-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The church, situated in Jerusalem’s Old City, is the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, entombed, and resurrected.
The Christian authorities managing the site closed it to visitors in March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but clerics maintained prayers inside the shuttered church throughout its closure.
On Sunday, church authorities limited entrance to 50 people at a time, and required that those entering the cavernous site maintain social distance and avoid touching any of the church’s stones, icons or other religious items.
A typical day before the virus outbreak would bring thousands of faithful who kissed or placed their hands along the church’s surfaces.
As priests from the various Christian sects entered the church, a handful of faithful waited outside for the basilica’s church to open for the public.
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Monks walk in Jerusalem's Old City's street during a small Palm Sunday procession going door to door
(Photo: Ilia Yefimovich)
It remained closed throughout Holy Week and Easter last month, when Jerusalem's Old City is normally packed with tens of thousands of pilgrims and tourists.
Priests observed Holy Week rituals in small groups, mostly behind closed doors.
Israel has gradually reopened schools, houses of worship and markets as the spread of the novel coronavirus has slowed.
The Health Ministry has reported over 16,700 confirmed cases of the disease and 279 deaths.
More than 14,000 have recovered.