>>> TODAY IS PALM SUNDAY, THE BEGINNING OF HOLY WEEK FOR
CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD,
LEADING UP TO EASTER.
PASSOVER, THE SEVEN-DAY HOLIDAY
IN THE JEWISH FAITH BEGINS
WEDNESDAY AT SUNDOWN.
WHAT WILL THESE SACRED RELIGIOUS
WEEKS LOOK LIKE WITH THE
CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES LEFT
EMPTY BY A GLOBAL PANDEMIC?
NBC’S ANNE THOMPSON HAS OUR
SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT.
SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT. >> Reporter: FOR THOSE KEEPING
THE FAITH, THIS IS THE AGE OF
INVENTION.
INVENTION. TO BRIDAL CEREMONIES.
♪
♪ >> MUSIC FOR ME HAS THE POWER TO
GET ME THROUGH A LOT OF
DIFFICULT TIMES.
DIFFICULT TIMES. >> Reporter: THIS PALM SUNDAY
ERIN BLANKENSHIP WILL RAISE HER
VOICE WITH A SIX-PERSON COMBO
INSTEAD OF THE CENTRAL BAPTIST
CHURCH CHOIR, TYPICALLY 40
STRONG IN JACKSONVILLE, TEXAS.
HER CHURCH, CLOSED BY THE
PANDEMIC, ERIN IS TAPING SONGS
FOR SUNDAY’S ONLINE SERVICE.
>> ULTIMATELY OUR AUDIENCE IS
GOD.
GOD. >> Reporter: BUT STILL THERE’S
THAT ENERGY THIS THE CHURCH, I
WOULD IMAGINE.
WOULD IMAGINE. AND YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE
THAT.
THAT. >> YOU ALMOST HAVE TO PSYCH
YOURSELF UP AND CREATE THE
ENERGY A LITTLE BIT YOURSELF.
>> WE CAN’T EVER LOSE OUR HOPE
AND RESILIENCE.
AND RESILIENCE. >> Reporter: NEW YORK’S CARDINAL
TIMOTHY DOLAN WILL CELEBRATE
PALM SUNDAY MASS LOOKING AT
THIS, 2,400 EMPTY SEATS IN ST.
PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL.
PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO PREACH TO AN
EMPTY CATHEDRAL?
EMPTY CATHEDRAL? >> IT’S VERY HAUNTING.
AS ST. PAUL SAYS, WE’RE THE
LIVING STONES THAT MAKE UP THE
CHURCH, AND THEY’RE NOT THERE.
WHILE PHYSICALLY THEY’RE NOT
THERE, DARN IT, NOTHING CAN
RESTRAIN THE GRACE AND MERCY OF
GOD.
GOD. >> Reporter: THE MASS, LIKE
OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WILL
BE BROADCAST ON TV, THE INTERNET
AND SATELLITE RADIO IN THIS MOST
UNUSUAL LENT.
UNUSUAL LENT. HAS THE CORONAVIRUS DRIVEN HOME
THE POINT OF LENT IN A WAY THAT
GIVING UP CHOCOLATE AND ALCOHOL
COULDN’T POSSIBLY DO?
>> YES, YES.
BECAUSE, THINK ABOUT IT, WHAT
ARE THE THREE PRACTICES WE’RE
CALLED TO FOR LENT?
PRAYER, SACRIFICE AND CHARITY.
AREN’T THOSE THE THREE THINGS
THAT ARE SPARKING IN OUR SOULS
THIS CORONAVIRUS?
THIS CORONAVIRUS? A LOT OF DEEP PRAYER, A LOT OF
SACRIFICE ON THE PART OF VERY
BRAVE PEOPLE, AND, DARN IT, A
LOT OF CHARITY AS WE REACH OUT
WITH LOVE AND CONCERN TO THOSE
SUFFERING.
SUFFERING. I THINK IT’S KIND OF, AGAIN, A
NATURAL AMBIENCE FOR LENT.
>> Reporter: THE ISOLATION OF
THE SEASON DRAMATICALLY
DEMONSTRATED BY POPE FRANCIS, TO
PRAY FOR THE WORLD.
AS CHRISTIANS PREPARE FOR
EASTER, JEWS WILL CELEBRATE
PASSOVER THIS WEEK.
MORE THAN 30 FAMILY MEMBERS FROM
FOUR STATES WHO TYPICALLY GATHER
AT GLENN AND JULIE’S SOUTH
JEERCY HOME FOR SADER.
>> SO, THE COMPUTER WILL BE ON
THE TABLE.
THE TABLE. >> Reporter: IS THAT GOING TO BE
STRANGE?
STRANGE? >> PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT, YEAH, BUT I THINK IT
WILL BE FUN.
WE JUST DID IT A COUPLE WEEKS
AGO WHERE WE DID A FRIDAY NIGHT
CANDLELIGHTING WITH OUR FAMILY
PEP WE STILL HAVE LAUGHS BUT
WE’RE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE
RITUALS TOGETHER THAT MAKES IT
EXTRA SPECIAL.
EXTRA SPECIAL. >> Reporter: IS THERE ANY
TEMPTATION, SNEAK OVER, WE CAN
ALL BE TOGETHER?
>> THERE’S NONE.
THERE’S ABSOLUTELY NONE.
WE TAKE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING
RECOMMENDATION AS NOT JUST A
RECOMMENDATION BUT A MANDATE.
>> Reporter: SOMETHING ILLINOIS
RABBI RACHEL WEIS.
>> IT’S PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
ONE WHO SAVES A SINGLE LIFE IS
THOUGH YOU SAVED THE ENTIRE
WORLD.
WORLD. THAT’S WHAT REAR REALLY TALKING
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >> Reporter: STAYING APART TO
SAVE EACH OTHER IN THIS SACRED