An Easter of Facebook live prayers sans church visits in Kerala during lockdown

This was a day which used to be marked by special prayers, church visits, cooking of tritional delicacies from grandma's recipe books and joyful get-togers at relatives' houses.

But empty churches, virtual prayers, live-streaming of holy mass and Facebook live/YouTube speeches of bishops and priests marked Holy Week and Easter Sunday in Kerala this time, cutting across vills and cities due to lockdown to halt spre of COVID-19.

Easter marks end of Holy Week of prayers and penitence recalling final phase of Christ's life from his arrest and cruxification, followed by resurrection. virus outbreak and precautionary lockdown have gifted an unprecedented Easter Sunday to tritional Christians in Kerala, where occassion would have orwise been celebrated with religious fervour and colourful festivities. According to 2011 census, Christians comprise 18.38 percent of total population of Kerala.

hering to government's lockdown rms, people, even ardent laity, kept away from churches and confined mselves in front of television sets or were glued to ir mobile phones to catch a glimpse of holy services at churches. Inste of sumptuous feasts with an array of ethnic mouth watering n-vegetarian delicacies, many families limited ir menu to usual items. Giving a go by to house visits, a large number depended on WhatsApp video calls to get connected during occassion.

Sexnerian Mariyamma Samuel was s this morning as she could t go to her nearby parish in Ranni,a high range hamlet in central district of Pathananthitta and offer prayers, a practise she h been religiously following since childhood. For first time, she was seeing an empty church courtyard on Easter morning, which rmally bustles with hymns of Jesus Christ and joyful chats of parishioners.

A retired school teacher, she and her husband waited erly this morning for ir neighbouring children to watch Facebook live of Easter prayers in ir mobile phone.

"We don't kw how to operate smartphones. So we have sought ir help to watch church services and special prayers. Parishners were informed by church that it will be live on Facebook," she told PTI.

As ir son and daughter were away from home and relatives could visit m due to lockdown restrictions, special delicacies were t prepared this time.

People in Ranni were extra vigilant as three Italy returnees h tested positive, along with six relatives, including an elderly couple d 93 and 88, in second wave of virus outbreak in state, hailing from re.

86-year-old Rebecca Maw from Chathannur in Kollam felt "strain" to watch church services on cellphone.

"This was a very different Easter from usual.We could t attend Easter service in church. Some hymns and webcasts of services are available online, but I find it a strain to watch m on small cellphone screen," she told PTI. She said rmally y have a 'sibling get-toger' on

Easter with three families meeting at one house by turns for each meal of day. Each family would eir bring a dish or make a full meal, cooking up something special, she said,ding y would also make up food gift parcels to give ir maids and or household help.

"This year, families remained in ir individual homes. tritional n-vegetarian dishes were also t re" Rebecca, who retired as Deputy Controller of Patents and Designs, a government of India company, said.

"Our two children and grandchildren have t been able to make it here it due to lockdown and my husband and me were hoping so much to see all of m," she said.

An ardent devotee and regular church-goer, 32-year-old Riya from Thodupuzha didn't hide her despair and sness that she missed church services and or festivities this time.

"Orwise,we used to be at church throughout Holy Week. My family is very particular that we should t miss any ritual.But re was feeling of Easter this time... church visits... guests...and a very simple and rmal lunch...," she told PTI.

Detailing lip smacking Easter delicacies, she said all kinds of meat, from chicken to pork,would be bought to prepare tritional dishes. dishes and it's combinations would be different in various Christian pockets in state, she said.

"We used to prepare chicken and egg curry, duck roast, pork vindaloo and so on.. stew and rice would also be re. But this time, we limited it to chicken only," woman said.

re was a short of pork and beef in local market, may be due to lockdown, she said, ding that quality of meat also could t be ensured. In some places on eve of Easter, heavy rush was ticed ay meat shops with police even using lathies to chase away people, who flouted social distancing rms.

tritional feast is served in Christian homes this day, marking end of 40-day period of Lent when believers shun luxuries and widely pleasures.

Meanwhile, major church deminations have given prior information to devotees about live telecast of Easter mass and church services through YouTube channel and Facebook p and ir own devotional channels. Only a very limited number of people, including bishops and senior priests, took part in church services and gave messs of spiritual revival.