It is an unceremonious Easter this year in Kenya and East Africa.
Current restrictions, especially in Nairobi, Nakuru and adjoining counties, do not allow the classic sung masses that are one of the attractions in both Catholic and Protestant churches. By decree, places of worship cannot accommodate more than 15 people in those regions, while in the rest of the country, and also in Uganda and Rwanda for example, no more than a third of the seats. Thus in the Kenyan capital, according to Anadolu Agency, most of the churches remained closed and signs posted asking the faithful to stay at home and pray together but "remotely".
At the Cathedral of the Presbyterians of East Africa in Nairobi, a church with a capacity of 500 people at a time, seeing only 15 people would already be like having it empty, but the church even allows only one person to enter at a time. In any case, on Friday morning there were no more than 30 people outside the building waiting their turn, spaced one metre apart.
Normally, prayers and singing are held more or less continuously from Friday to Easter Monday, and for many pastoral and parish centres, not being able to celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus also means having to give up the classic meal of kid, which is usually the result of donations from high-ranking members of the congregation or collections among the participants.
"We just have to hope that this pandemic will pass, so prayers should be mainly directed towards this," said Anglican Bishop Samuel Kazimba, "let us reflect on the story of the resurrection and remember that all things, even suffering, have an end through unity and faith.
However, bishops and priests in Kenyan dioceses did not call for vaccination. On the contrary, some senior prelates in Nairobi and other Kenyan cities have expressed some perplexity. Yet asking the faithful to vaccinate themselves could bring the masses back to the churches as soon as possible, something that has always been guaranteed in Kenya.
The fact remains that those who celebrate Mass and confer Holy Communion and other sacraments have not been included in the categories that require vaccination.