PENNSYLVANIA, USA — This Palm Sunday at Wyoming Avenue Church in Kingston, pews were socially distanced, and congregants worshipped in person.
It's a much different story than last year when in-person services were canceled and replaced with live streams.
"This church is our family. When we couldn't be here together, it was hard, and now that we can be together again, it's just like being home," Phyllis Calavano of Swoyersville said.
"Last year at this time, it was very sad, even though, like I said, we were able to worship at home, it's been good to be here and see other people. It's been uplifting and really been able to encourage our spirits," Debby Jones of Shavertown said.
"We need relationships. Those relationships can be expanded upon when we have some time together," Pastor Dennis Gray said.
At Saint Peter's Cathedral in Downtown Scranton, pews are cordoned off so people can stay six feet apart, and parishioners are wearing masks.
"I really missed coming to church last year. I think with everything going on in the world. I think it's very important for us to have religion, especially with this Holy Week coming up," Laura Welde of Archbald said.
"We've tried to use shorter readings, we've tried to keep at a minimum the amount of time that we have to spend together because we are still social distancing, but at the heart is the same Eucharist and the same meaning that we celebrate when we gather. So that really gives us hope today," Bishop Joseph Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton said.
Palm Sunday marks the day when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, days before his crucifixion. It marks the start of Holy Week, with Easter falling the following Sunday.
