COVID puts a damper on Christmas Eve again around the world

From Bethlehem and Frankfurt to London and Boston, the surging coronavirus put a damper on Christmas Eve for a second year, forcing churches to cancel or scale back services and disrupting travel plans and family gatherings.

Drummers and bagpipers marched through Bethlehem to smaller than usual crowds after new Israeli travel restrictions meant to slow the highly contagious omicron variant kept international tourists away from the town where Jesus is said to have been born.

In Germany, a line wound halfway around Cologne's massive cathedral, not for midnight Mass but for vaccinations. The offer of shots was an expression of “care for one's neighbour” that was consistent with the message of Christmas, cathedral provost Guido Assmann told the DPA news agency.

Around the world, people weary from nearly two years of lockdowns and other restrictions searched for ways to safely enjoy holiday rituals.

“We can't let the virus take our lives from us when we're healthy,” said Rosalia Lopes, a retired Portuguese government worker who was doing some last-minute shopping in the coastal town of Cascais.

In New York City, where omicron has spread widely, people waited in long lines to get tested, many doing so as a precaution before travelling to reunite with family.

But holiday travel was dealt a blow when major airlines cancelled hundreds of flights amid staffing shortages largely tied to omicron.

In Britain, where the coronavirus variant is ripping through the population, some houses of worship hoped to press on.

At St. Paul's Old Ford, an Anglican church in East London, priests planned to hold services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But to protect parishioners, the church called off its Nativity play.

“You might have to cancel the service, but you can't cancel Christmas,” said the Rev. April Keech, an associate priest. “You can't stop love. Love still stands.”

Numerous churches in the U.S. cancelled in-person services, including Washington National Cathedral in the nation's capital and historic Old South Church in Boston. Others planned outdoor celebrations or a mix of online and in-person worship.

In Rome, a maskless Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass before an estimated 2,000 people in St. Peter's Basilica, where admission was limited and worshippers had to wear masks.

While the number of faithful was far more than the 200 allowed in last year, it was a fraction of the 20,000 the basilica can seat.

Before the pandemic, St. Peter's was routinely packed for midnight Mass.

In Germany, churchgoers faced a thicket of health restrictions and limits on attendance. Some had to show proof of vaccination or testing.

In France, some visited loved ones in the hospital. In the Mediterranean city of Marseille, the intensive care unit at La Timone Hospital has been taking in more and more COVID-19 patients in recent days.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.