• 12 April 2020
Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, delivers his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message behind closed doors amid lockdown measures imposed in Italy, 12 April 2020
Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, delivers his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message behind closed doors at St Peter’s Basilica

Christians around the world have been celebrating Easter Sunday, despite many being confined to their homes because of the global coronavirus pandemic.

In an unprecedented virtual message from an eerily empty Vatican, Pope Francis stood before the cameras and prayed for victims of the disease, calling for global solidarity in the fight against the virus.

Elsewhere, churches found some innovative ways to get their messages across and serve parishioners – including with drive-through Communions.

A cardinal from the Basilica Cathedral in Brazil wears a face shield as he gives communion in a drive-through ceremony during an Easter Sunday service amid the coronavirus pandemic in Curitiba, Brazil, 12 April 2020
A cardinal from the Basilica Cathedral in Curitiba, Brazil, wears a face shield as he gives Holy Communion at a drive-through ceremony
Minister Edilson Paes from the Basilica Cathedral wears a face shield as he gives communion in a drive-through ceremony during an Easter Sunday service during the coronavirus pandemic in Curitiba on 12 April 2020
Another minister from the Basilica Cathedral, Edilson Paes, hands out wafers
People stand at the gate of a church closed to the public during a mass held on Easter Sunday, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 12 April 2020
People stand at the gate of a church closed to the public during mass in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Rev Brian X Needles live-streams Easter Sunday Mass to picture print-outs sent in by parishioners and attached to pews by staff at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in South Orange, New Jersey, 12 April 2020
Rev Brian X Needles live-streams Easter Mass to pictures of parishioners attached to pews at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in the US state of New Jersey
Cardinal Peter Erdoe holds Easter Sunday Mass in St Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, Hungary, 12 April 2020
No congregants were permitted to attend the service St Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest, Hungary, but it was broadcast live online and on television
Pastor George Runyan gives a sermon during a sunrise Easter service at Mt Helix Park in San Diego, California, 12 April 2020
Pastor George Runyan is filmed and broadcast live as he gives a musical sermon in San Diego, California
Easter Sunday Mass is broadcast live on social media from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, 12 April 2020
Image captionEaster Sunday Mass was broadcast live on social media from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Bishop Sebastia Taltavull performs Mass at a deserted cathedral in Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Bishop Sebastia Taltavull performs Mass at a deserted cathedral in Palma de Mallorca, Spain

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Source: BBC News