Catholic pilgrimage in Argentina goes virtual

Argentina's most important Catholic pilgrimage was replaced with a virtual one on Saturday after being cancelled for the first time in almost fifty years.

The pilgrimage commemorates the anniversary of the patron saint of Argentina "Our Lady of Lujan" and usually gathers more than a million people.

Considered to be one of the most picturesque cultural events in Argentina, this year's event was replaced with a virtual pilgrimage of the Virgin shrine from the Argentine capital to the Basilica of Our Lady of Lujan, 70 kilometres (about 40 miles) west of Buenos Aires.

The statue of the virgin was carried around some neighbourhoods on its way to Lujan by devotees in full protective gear.

A ceremony at Buenos Aires' San Cayetano chapel was also streamed online.

New rules imposed on worship practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have tested the acceptance of worshippers.

On Saturday Argentina had reported more than 751-thousand coronavirus cases and 16,937 deaths so far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

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Image: AP/YouTube