OTTAWA – Holy Week and Easter comprise the apex of the liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church. But Canadian Kenneth Nowakowski, the newly installed Ukrainian Catholic bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family in London, will be marking the Crucifixion and Resurrection – like all of his fellow prelates around the world – in a cathedral with empty pews.
The global lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced churches to shutter their doors to the faithful. Many, including the Cathedral of the Holy Family in London that last year had as many as 7,000 attend Easter divine liturgies, have turned to social media to broadcast services.