Pope Tawadros chairs Palm Sunday Mass at Saint Pishoy Monastery

CAIRO, April 12 (MENA) - Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark led the Palm Sunday Mass at the Monastery of Saint Pishoy in Wadi El Natrun in Beheira, north of Cairo.

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Pope Tawadros's service, normally held in front of many worshipers, was attended only by few priests and archbishops as part of precautionary measures against coronavirus outbreak.

Pope Tawadros said the decision to close churches across the country is temporary because of the current circumstances.

Earlier, Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox church has decided to suspend prayers preceding Easter celebrations as part of efforts to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Prayers and Holy Week services, which are considered the most important rituals in the Coptic Orthodox church, are suspended.

The Holy Week starts by Palm Sunday.