Bolivian nurses pray in front the Hospital Obrero on Palm Sunday, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in La Paz, Bolivia, April 5, 2020.
Pope Francis holds a palm branch as he leads Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter's Basilica without public participation due to the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Vatican April 5, 2020. Alberto Pizzoli/Pool via REUTERS
A general view of St. Peter's Basilica where Pope Francis leads the Palm Sunday mass without public participation due to the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Vatican April 5, 2020. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS .
A girl sits in a car as she attends a sermon at the Open Church's drive-in service during the Palm Sunday, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Copenhagen, Denmark April 5, 2020. Claus Bech/NTB Scanpix/via REUTERS
A man wearing a face mask hands a branch to a nun inside the Primary Cathedral chapel after Palm Sunday Mass, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bogota, Colombia April 5, 2020.
A general view shows Pope Francis and attendees Pope Francis during the Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter's Basilica, without public participation due to the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Vatican April 5, 2020. Alberto Pizzoli/Pool via REUTERS.
Priest Robert Sreter walks with a cross and blesses believers during Palm Sunday, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and in the aftermath of the earthquake that hit the country on March 22, in Zagreb, Croatia, April 5, 2020.
Children hold olive branches as they look out from the sunroof of a car to be blessed by priests roaming around neighbourhoods to celebrate Palm Sunday, amid the lockdown to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Marjayoun, southern Lebanon April 5, 2020.
A Reuters photographer holds a picture of penitents of the "Cristo Resucitado y Nuestra Senora de Loreto" brotherhood taken in April, 2019, in front of the street of the procession, on Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 5, 2020.
A man prays in front of the closed doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as members of the Latin Patriarchate prepare to distribute olive branches to Christian residents on Palm Sunday, during Holy Week amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Jerusalem's Old City April 5, 2020.
A view of an empty Saint Mark's Cathedral on Palm Sunday, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Venice, Italy, April 5, 2020.
Organist Elizabeth Noone plays to an empty Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Palm Sunday amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S., April 5, 2020.
People applaud from their balcony in support of healthcare workers, as they celebrate Palm Sunday next to a costume of a penitent, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 5, 2020.
A family holds palms as they wait for a procession to pass by during the Palm Sunday celebration amid a quarantine throughout the country, as the government undertakes steadily stricter measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Nahuizalco, El Salvador April 5, 2020.
A man kneels near Saint Peter's square, as Pope Francis leads Palm Sunday mass without public participation due to the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Vatican, April 5, 2020.
The statue of the Virgin Mary is placed in the window on Palm Sunday, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Venice, Italy, April 5, 2020.
South Korean Christians pray during a drive-in worship service following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Seoul, South Korea, April 5, 2020.
A priest stands on a pickup truck and blesses faithfuls in the villages during Palm Sunday, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Nidek, Poland, April 5, 2020. Jakub Porzycki/Agencja Gazeta via REUTERS
A priest holds a mass at the courtyard of the San Juan de la Cruz church, during the Palm Sunday, after Mexico's government declared a health emergency and issued stricter rules to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Escobedo on the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico April 5, 2020.
Carlos, 6, carries a toy float (depicting the float carrying a statue of Christ or the Virgin) while he celebrates Palm Sunday on his balcony, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 5, 2020.
Adriana Gomez prays outside the Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church on Palm Sunday during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 5, 2020.
Priest Joachim Giesler holds a mass with photos of believers who were asked to send in pictures after the service was closed due to the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Achern, Germany, April 5, 2020.
A man holds an olive branch he received from members of the Latin Patriarchate which they distributed to Christian residents on Palm Sunday, during Holy Week amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Jerusalem's Old City April 5, 2020.
A woman wearing a protective face mask prays in Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Turin, Italy April 5, 2020.
A woman looks at a laptop in her house as Pope Francis officiates a mass streamed via video during Palm Sunday, as a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Vina del Mar, Chile April 5, 2020.
Belarusian Catholics kiss a wooden cross during a church service marking Palm Sunday, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in the town of Oshmyany, Belarus April 5, 2020.
A Reuters photographer holds a picture of penitents of the "Angustias" brotherhood after a procession taken in March, 2018, in front of the church of the procession, on Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 5, 2020.
A homeless person feeds pigeons, before Pope Francis leads Palm Sunday mass without public participation due to the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Vatican, April 5, 2020.
Rev. Caleb Maloba Madoka leads members of the Nabii Christian Church of East Africa (NCCEA) in a Palm Sunday service inside his house, after the government banned religious gatherings amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya April 5, 2020.
A man wearing a makeshift protective head gear holds palm fronds outside his home as he waits for the blessing of a priest roaming around neighbourhoods to celebrate Palm Sunday amid the lockdown to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Manila, Philippines, April 5, 2020.
Members of the medical staff hold palm tree branches at the emergency unit of the Molinette Hospital on Palm Sunday, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Turin, Italy April 5, 2020.
A woman prays in Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Turin, Italy April 5, 2020.
A parishioner picks up palms outside Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Palm Sunday amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S., April 5, 2020.
A girl wearing a traditional mantilla dress sings a "saeta" (Spanish Holy Week song) while she celebrates Palm Sunday with her father, dressed as a penitent, outside their house during lockdown, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 5, 2020.
A Reuters photographer holds a picture of penitents of the "Cristo Resucitado y Nuestra Senora de Loreto" brotherhood taken in April, 2019, in front of the street of the procession, on Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 5, 2020.
Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and other Roman Catholic church leaders hold a prayer service on the Mount of Olives overlooking the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem instead of the traditional Palm Sunday procession, because of restrictions on public gatherings amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). April 5, 2020.
Filipino Catholics wave palm fronds outside their homes as they wait for the blessing of a priest roaming neighbourhoods to celebrate Palm Sunday amid the lockdown to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Manila, Philippines, April 5, 2020.
Palm Sunday in a pandemic