Coronavirus Qld: Brisbane Easter services take to cyberspace

The resurrection was televised at the weekend as Easter services took to cyberspace amid the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

WITH great ceremony, as the processional hymn played, Brisbane’s Archbishop, in his robes and mitre and carrying a golden ­shepherd’s staff, walked into the Cathedral of Saint Stephen to deliver Easter Sunday mass.

He climbed the stairs to the altar, bowed low, and turned to face the cavernous cathedral where, on any other year, a thousand people would be squeezed into pews and clustered at the rear. Archbishop Mark Coleridge crossed himself and looked at a camera.

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“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit, peace be with you,” he said to row after row of empty pews.

It was a very different Easter service for churches across Queensland yesterday, but particularly for Brisbane’s heritage-listed cathedral where crowds would normally have gathered to see the Archbishop deliver morning mass.

Instead, thousands watched the service via their computers on a live feed.

Dean of St Johns Cathedral Peter Catt. Picture: Annette Dew

Archbishop Coleridge used the story of Easter to bring a message of hope to viewers as they sheltered in their homes to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“Self-sacrificing love – it’s the only power stronger than death,” he said.

“And nothing can keep it out or hold it back.

“We fear the effects of long-term shutdown. We feel uncertainty about how long the crisis will last, what life will be like on the other side.

“We fear running short in the meantime. We fear no quick and effective cure and no future perhaps, of any kind that we would choose.

“It’s as if we’re sealed in a dark tomb, isolated, with no way out.”

He said Easter was a time of miracles and hope, of shattering people’s expectations.

“Well COVID-19 is certainly a threat to all the people,” the Archbishop said.

“But Easter is a far greater promise to all the people.

“COVID-19 may be the virus born from hell. But Easter is the vaccine born from heaven.”

St Mary's in Exile Church’s Father Terry Fitzpatrick (second from right) with the Nelson family (from left) Anthony, Darryl and Monique. Picture: Dan Peled/AAP

Dean of the Cathedral of St Stephen, Father Anthony Mellor, told The Courier-Mail it had been a vastly different Easter than past years.

“Certainly Easter is a time when many families gather together,” he said.

“But families can’t gather together at church or anywhere at the moment.

“In many ways, we are doing what families are doing, and that is, finding a new way of gathering together.”

Father Mellor said despite some technical difficulties, the rapid switch to online services was proving successful, with 3000 switching on to watch Sunday morning services and many more expected to watch throughout the day. He said local parishes had streamed their own services, via outlets such as YouTube and Facebook, while the Sydney service was broadcast on network television.

“For last night’s Easter vigil, we had almost 10,000 watching,” Father Mellor said.

Many religious denominations have gone digital amid coronavirus restrictions, with more than 1000 tuning in to watch Anglican Dean of Brisbane Dr Peter Catt conduct the Easter service at St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane.

Pope Francis deliver his homily. Picture: Vatican Media

“I encourage you to use this Easter to look for the small gifts, the small signs of resurrection that are coming your way,” he told his empty cathedral, as cameras captured his message.

“Possibly, it’s connecting with people using ways, like using the internet, that you’ve never used before. I know that for some people in the Cathedral congregation, it’s been a real active illumination to discover Zoom and Facebook and Skype.’’

Among the Christians embracing the changes were the Nelson family from Brisbane.

They were accompanied by Father Terry Fitzpatrick from the St Mary’s in Exile Church.

For Mary Nelson, 65, Easter this year had a more contemplative feeling.

Like many, Ms Nelson’s family have watched online lifestreams and TV broadcasts of church services. “Trying to stay connected at this time has taken on a whole new dimension,” she said.

Pope Francis told his Catholic followers to “not yield to fear” while leading an Easter Vigil inside an empty St Peter’s Basilica.

The Pope quoted Jesus upon the resurrection: “Do not be afraid, do not yield to fear. This is the message of hope. It is addressed to us today. These are the words that God repeats to us this very night.”