Easter may be the holiest day in the Christian calendar. But last year, the pandemic caused most churches to cancel services or move celebrations online.
For the Rev. Anthony Mongiello, pastor of St. Anne Parish in Bethlehem, this weekend will be a return to form.
“In the last couple weeks, people have been coming up and saying ‘Father, I got my vaccinations, so I’m back to church,’” he says.
In March of last year, Allentown Bishop Alfred Schlert lifted the obligation to attend masses, due to the coronavirus.
It’s still suspended.
But on Sunday, all parishes in the Diocese of Allentown will host in-person masses for Easter. Many are also streaming services online, a skill Mongiello says he learned over the past year.
“Things are much, much better than they were last year. Last year we were in a complete shutdown at that point in time. So, the only thing we could do was livestream,” Mongiello says.
The diocese says that all churches will have masks and sanitizer in place and attendance will be capped at 50% capacity.
To meet demand, St. Anne’s will hold three masses Sunday with overflow seating in the school’s gym.
“I’m really looking forward to Easter Sunday being, you know, a real joyful celebration for everyone coming out to celebrate as best they can,” he says.
