For Roshan Remy Osta, Easter holds a special place. He has not missed an Easter service since he can remember. This year, due to the lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, he thought he would miss it, just like the other Catholics in Patna.

However, in a welcome move for the city Catholics, Patna Archdiocese streamed the service live, which was attended by more than 10,000 people. Similar services were held in Ranchi, Calcutta, parts of Assam, Chennai and various other places.

The online service has been advantageous, said Monica, an assistant professor of Economics in the city, who attended the mass at home with her family.

“It was very much convenient for senior citizens, who could not attend the service due to their old age,” she says.

However, there have been “disadvantages” too, she adds. “A lot of rituals were not held and the ceremony was cut short.”

Various rites such as the Eucharist could not be held as it involves the priest offering bread and wine (considered the body and blood of Jesus Christ) to the congregation. Offering the bread and wine would have gone against the lockdown norms, said Osta. The length of the service, which usually goes on for about three hours, too was reduced to only half an hour in view of the pandemic.

The service began with Patna Archbishop William D’Souza lighting a candle in a dark room as a symbolic gesture of Christ’s light removing the darkness.

“May the light of Christ remove the darkness of our heart,” the archbishop said.

As part of the service, a candle, with nails in the shape of a cross on them, is dipped in holy water before being lighted to “purify” it. The water then serves as holy water, used for blessing the congregation. The blessing could not take place either.

Apart from the Patna Archdiocese, Osta's local parish, Queen of the Apostles’ Church, held a similar service. However, it was not live.

“We have limitations due to the low internet speed that live streaming was not feasible for us. We recorded it and put it out for our congregation,” said Father Nicolas, Queen of the Apostles’ Church.

Speaking on the current pandemic plaguing the world, the father said that we need to make our homes our church. This is my Easter message, he said.

Asked whether the online service would continue after the pandemic ends, Father Nicolas said they might do it for a special occasion such as Christmas.

“As I said earlier, we don’t have the means to hold online services every week. However, we can do it on special occasions but it remains to be seen,” the father said.

Monica echoed the father’s view. “There are TV channels that hold live service. Senior citizens can watch it. For Eucharist, our local priests are nice enough to come home and offer their services.”

Due to the pandemic and the related lockdown, Easter festivity in the city was reduced to just celebrations at home.

People are not coming out and we are cooking and celebrating at home, said Shobha Devi, a government school teacher.

Shobha said she had been lucky to have her daughter, a nurse, at home during the occasion. Her daughter’s service as a frontline health worker luckily for Shobha begins from April 16. However, her husband, another health worker, in Andhra Pradesh could not be home.

“He has duty on alternate days. It would not have been possible for him to come in such trying times,” she said.

In other places too, Easter was not the same as it had been earlier.

Manju Devi, whose daughter Myra turns two on Monday, was disappointed as she could not invite people for the bash. I understand that it won’t be possible, she said.

The family has baked a cake and will celebrate without any guests.