A small group of Franciscan monks and Roman Catholic faithful took to the streets of Jerusalem's Christian Quarter in the Old City Sunday to distribute olive branches, after the traditional Palm Sunday procession was canceled due to restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
As the number of COVID-19 cases rose in Israel, the government announced it had arranged a massive airlift of masks, protective suits, and medical supplies from China. Elsewhere in the region, Iran, which is dealing with the worst outbreak in the Mideast, announced plans to allow some businesses to reopen later this month even as the death toll continued to climb.
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Palm Sunday celebrations start the Holy Week leading up to Easter. Worshippers in Jerusalem traditionally carry palm fronds and olive branches, and march from the top of the Mount of Olives into the Old City.
While thousands of pilgrims usually participate in the march, this year was limited to a handful of participants. Clerics and faithful went door to door often throwing the branches to Christians looking on from their balconies.
"This year, because of the new situation, we are trying to come to all the Christians in our Christian Quarter to bring these branches of olives, the sign of new hope," said the Rev. Sandro Tomasevic, a Catholic clergyman at the Latin Parish of Jerusalem.
