Portuguese priest delivers Easter service from car's sunroof

Portuguese priest Nuno Westwood has turned the sunroof of his car into a pulpit to deliver an Easter service to his parishioners, amid a national coronavirus lockdown.

Priest Nuno Westwood holds a tour for the Portuguese neighborhoods of Oeiras to bless for Easter Sunday.

Priest Nuno Westwood holds a tour for the Portuguese neighborhoods of Oeiras to bless for Easter Sunday. Source: Reuters

Father Nuno Westwood turned the sunroof of his microcar into a pulpit on Sunday to deliver an Easter service on the move through his parish on the outskirts of Lisbon where the coronavirus has confined people to their homes.

Dozens of residents greeted him from their windows, clapping and waving as his prayers blasted through speakers attached to the roof of a second car, which also bore a giant cross adorned with flowers.

"The idea is, especially at Easter, during this pandemic when people have lost hope a little and are scared, to give them a message of happiness and for them to know they are not alone," he told Reuters.
"God is with us all, and that's the message we want to convey, if only from a car."

Around 88 percent of the Portuguese population is Catholic, according to a 2015 survey by the Catholic Church, and priests have resorted to conducting sermons to empty churches and broadcasting them online during the country's lockdown.

Portugal has so far reported 16,585 cases of the new coronavirus, and 504 deaths, a small fraction of the toll in neighbouring Spain.

People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others and gatherings are limited to two people unless you are with your family or household.

If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor (don’t visit) or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.

SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus


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Source: Reuters, SBS


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Portuguese priest delivers Easter service from car's sunroof | SBS News