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| Catholic devotees attend a Christmas Eve Mass maintaining social distancing to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, the church in Manila on December 24, 2020. (Photo from Ted Aljibe / AFP) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] Christmas festivities began on Friday, with hundreds of millions across the world under coronavirus restrictions celebrating a low-key version of a holiday typically marked by travel and large gatherings. The battle to halt the pandemic, which has claimed more than 1.7 million lives, is far from over despite the launching of mass vaccine campaigns that offer the promise of an eventual return to normalcy.
And in Catholic-majority Philippines, services were rocked when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the country, capping off a troubled yuletide already muted by bans on parties and carol singing. “Sad, very sad. Seeing everyone in masks, even the priest and altar servers, reminded me that the world as I know it is not the same,” said Manila resident Kyen Quimpo Mallonga after watching Christmas Eve mass on television instead of attending her local church for fear of catching the virus.
“It’s Christmas time and people are supposed to be shaking hands, kissing or hugging,” she said after missing Christmas midnight mass for the first time in her life. Despite warm weather, the usual picnicking crowds also avoided the sands of Sydney’s Bondi Beach, while the waves were empty of surfing Santas and patrolling police officers enforced social distancing rules.
