SOCIALLY DISTANCED EASTER CELEBRATIONS

[Anchor Lead]

Yesterday was Easter Sunday but churches around the nation celebrated this year's Easter in unconventional and socially-distanced ways, in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Some churches held drive-in services and even offline services with only selected worshipers in attendance.

[Pkg]

​Dressed in protective suits, church officials measure the body temperature of arriving worshipers.

[Soundbite] "I will measure your body temperature. It's normal."

They are allowed to enter the church only after sanitizing their hands and going through a full-body disinfection chamber. This church held a smaller-scale Easter service with only some 100 people attending. It is a far cry from last year's celebration, which brought over 10,000 people together.

[Soundbite] CHOI WOO-SIK(PASTOR) : "While observing the seven social distancing guidelines, I pray that people are filled with love and peace."

Church members' cars form lines in an outdoor parking lot. This drive-in service was held for the worshipers to celebrate Easter Sunday together, while limiting direct contact with one another. In line with social distancing guidelines, the vehicles were parked in a manner to maintain space from each other. While remaining in their vehicles, the attendees listened to the sermon and hymns delivered via in-car radio systems.

[Soundbite] PARK JOON-SEOK(GYEONGGI-DO RESIDENT) : "The drive-in service feels better and more real, since I can share the moments with fellow worshipers, as I do at the church."

Gloria Church in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Province, pushed ahead with holding an offline celebration, despite a government restriction on such gatherings.

[Soundbite] (CHURCH OFFICIAL) : "Don't obstruct the Easter service. Don't come in! Get out!"

Although its pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon was arrested, Sarang Jeil Church held an offline service with some 1,200 members, defying the Seoul city government's repeated warnings. Two-thirds of churches in Seoul closed their doors and celebrated Easter Sunday via online services. Quarantine authorities are worried about an increasing number of churches resuming offline services. About 2,100 churches have restarted on-site Sunday services.