People take pictures outside a Christmas market at Hibiya Park of Tokyo on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
Pope Francis holds a thurible as he leads a Christmas Eve mass to mark the nativity of Jesus Christ on December 24, 2020, at St Peter’s basilica in the Vatican, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / POOL / AFP)
People across the globe are celebrating one of the jolliest times in the Christian calendar.
This year’s church services and events, however, are being attended by little to no one in public places, churches included, because of the coronavirus outbreak. Social distancing and wearing masks are the new normal to help the curb of COVID-19 and must be adhered to.
Christmas Day is celebrated by western churches on 25 December but by eastern churches on 7 January.
A family of Christian devotees wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus leaves after attending a Christmas day mass at the Holy Redeemer Church in Bangkok on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP)
A worker wearing personal protective equipment disinfects a manger scene at Holy Redeemer Church to prevent the spread of Covid-19 (novel coronavirus) after a Christmas eve mass, in Bangkok, in the early hours of December 25, 2020. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP)
A church staff member, wearing a Santa Claus outfit and a face mask to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, joins Roman Catholic priests in singing during a Christmas day mass at the Holy Redeemer Church in Bangkok on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP)
Roman Catholic priest Father Joseph Thanapong Sawangthammakul, wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, greets a boy after celebrating a Christmas day mass at the Holy Redeemer Church in Bangkok on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP)
Christian devotees wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus greet one another during a Christmas day mass at the Holy Redeemer Church in Bangkok on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP)
People walk past a new work by Italian street artist TvBoy depicting Santa Claus carrying the Covid-19 vaccine in his sack, in Barcelona on December 24, 2020. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
A car driver looks at a model of Santa Claus illuminated, on the eve of Christmas in Siliguri on December 24, 2020. (Photo by DIPTENDU DUTTA / AFP)
This photo taken on December 24, 2020 shows people taking a selfie in front of the Christmas-themed illuminated installation outside of a shopping mall complex on Christmas eve in Shanghai. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT
This photo taken on December 24, 2020 shows people taking a selfie near Christmas decorations outside of a shopping mall complex on Christmas eve in Shanghai. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT
Catholic Christians celebrate Christmas Mass in Abuja, Nigeria.
Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor (C) with her children Kiaan and Samaira (L) arrive for a Christmas brunch on Christmas Day, in Mumbai on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Sujit Jaiswal / AFP)
An employee in a gold shop wears a hairband with reindeer antlers as part of Christmas festivities in the southern Thai province of Narathiwat on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Madaree TOHLALA / AFP)
A supermarket employee wears a hairband with reindeer antlers as part of Christmas festivities in the southern Thai province of Narathiwat on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Madaree TOHLALA / AFP)
A Christian devotee offers prayers next to the nativity scene representing the birth of Jesus at Sacred Heart Shrine Church on Christmas in Chennai on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
Christian devotees wearing facemasks as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus offer prayers on Christmas at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Rawalpindi on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Farooq NAEEM / AFP)
Christian devotees wearing facemasks as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus offer prayers on Christmas at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Rawalpindi on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Farooq NAEEM / AFP)
Worshippers of Legio Maria wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19 attend the Christmas prayer at their church in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, on December 25, 2020. (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP)
Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor (L) and Alia Bhatt arrive for a Christmas brunch on Christmas Day, in Mumbai on December 25, 2020. (Photo by Sujit Jaiswal / AFP)
People in Santa Claus costumes sit on a statue as they pose for a picture prior to participating in the 111th edition of the Copa Nadal (Christmas Cup) swimming race in Barcelona’s Port Vell on December 25, 2020. – The traditional 200-meter Christmas swimming race gathered around 300 participants on Barcelona’s Port Vell (old harbour). (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
A participant in a Santa Claus costume jumps into the water during the 111th edition of the Copa Nadal (Christmas Cup) swimming race in Barcelona’s Port Vell on December 25, 2020. – The traditional 200-meter Christmas swimming race gathered around 300 participants on Barcelona’s Port Vell (old harbour). (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Christian devotees light candles on Christmas at a church in Amritsar on December 25, 2020. Narinder NANU / AFP
Christian devotees take selfies along with a boy dressed as Santa Claus on Christmas at a church in Amritsar on December 25, 2020. Narinder NANU / AFP