Amid the ongoing war and relentless Israeli bombardment in Lebanon, Palm Sunday was observed in a solemn and devout atmosphere across Greek Orthodox churches.
At the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elijah in the northern Lebanese village of Dede, worshippers lit candles and offered prayers for peace, their quiet acts of faith underscored by the distant echoes of conflict.
A Greek Orthodox academic who studied in Greece and now teaches at a Lebanese university, spoke to MEGA Channel about the starkly different Easter experienced this year. “Easter has made things far more difficult,” he said. “We fear that the airport and the port could be targeted,” the professor added, reflecting the pervasive anxiety gripping the country.
Jerusalem: Holy Week in the Shadow of War
In Jerusalem, Holy Week has likewise unfolded under extraordinary circumstances. At the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City, the Palm Sunday service was conducted without the presence of congregants.
Clergy, led by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, processed through the narrow alleyways of the Old City before entering the church to perform the ritual marking the beginning of Holy Week.
In previous years, the Greek community club in Jerusalem would be filled with worshippers during these days. This year, however, the scenes are unprecedented: empty streets and a subdued city, as gatherings are restricted to no more than 50 people amid ongoing rocket attacks.
The traditional Holy Fire ceremony, held on Holy Saturday, is expected to take place this year in a limited and largely symbolic form.
