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World Shelters at Home on Good Friday During COVID Pandemic

VOA News

   Millions of people around the world are observing Good Friday, the day
   Christians believe Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem.

   The rituals of the holy day are different this year, as most
   worshippers must view the solemn ceremonies on various media platforms
   instead of gathering in churches, as the world struggles with COVID-19.

   Much of the globe is sheltering at home to slow the transmission of the
   deadly virus.

   More than 1.6 million people have contracted the disease, according to
   the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

   The United States is the global hotspot for the virus with more than
   466,000 cases.

   Spain and Italy follow with 153,222 and 143,626 respectively.

   The pandemic "poses a significant threat to the maintenance of
   international peace and security -- potentially leading to an increase
   in social unrest and violence that would greatly undermine our ability
   to fight the disease," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a
   closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, according
   to the text of his remarks.

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