Christmas festivities began Friday, with hundreds of millions across the world under coronavirus restrictions celebrating a pared-down version of a holiday typically marked by travel and large gatherings.
The battle to halt the pandemic, which has claimed more than 1.7 million lives, is far from over despite the launching of mass vaccine campaigns that offer the promise of an eventual return to normalcy.
Churches across South Korea stood largely empty, with worshippers congregating online as the country reported a new daily caseload record.
“It really is heartbreaking to see,” said Park Jae-woo, a member of the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul which would usually expect up …
Keep on reading: Christmas celebrated under pandemic’s shadow