CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Cardinal Blasé Cupich celebrated Easter Mass in an empty Holy Name Cathedral Sunday morning – another first during the coronavirus epidemic.
With a mask pulled down under his chin, the cardinal addressed his comments to a camera instead of full pews on one of the holiest days of the year for Roman Catholics. The service was livestreamed on YouTube about 6 a.m. Sunday.
The Chicago Archbishop talked during his homily about a new-found unity across the world as we all threatened by COVID-19.
Before beginning, he paused to look at the empty church.
“It was to express my sense of longing that someday soon we will all be together once again and all of these pews will be filled with people who want to celebrate the presence of the Lord,” Cupich said.
He and others on the alter observed social distancing, bowed instead of shaking hands during the sign of peace and had only one person drink from each communion chalice in keeping with health guidelines during the pandemic.