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Raymond Jaravaza, Showbiz Correspondent
SINANZELELE Mpofu does not recall her parents ever missing the annual trip from Bulawayo to Limpopo Province, South Africa, for the Zion Christian Church’s Easter gathering at Zion City, Moria.

Arguably the largest church gathering in Southern Africa, thousands of pilgrims from Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa among other countries converge at Moria for the annual church meeting.

It’s a gathering that Mpofu’s parents, now an elderly couple, have not missed as far as she can remember.

“We are devout ZCC members, I was born in the church together with my siblings who are now based in South Africa and I don’t recall my parents ever missing the trip to Moria.

“When we were kids, they would travel to South Africa every Easter holidays leaving us in the care of our aunt and we got to understand how important the church gathering is to them,” says Mpofu.

Now in her early 30s and married with two kids, Mpofu says she has travelled to Moria on three occasions with her husband, also a devout ZCC member.

“We have a family joke that if our parents were given a choice between paying our schools fees or travelling to Moria, they would happily make the trip to Limpopo for the Easter church gathering.

“That’s how important it is for them,” she said.

This year, however, the annual Easter church gathering in Moria will not be possible for Mpofu’s parents.

In Zimbabwe, ZCC Mbungo also shelved their annual Easter pilgrimage at the Mbungo shrine in Masvingo province.

Normally thousands of pilgrims converge there but this year the gatheing has been cancelled because the country is under lockdown. The church is instead holding small decentralised celebrations around the world.

At Easter the head of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis addresses thousands at the Vatican but this year the situation is different because of Covid-19.

Last week the church’s Palm Sunday had no audience as the Pope addressed an empty Vatican due to the pandemic that has killed thousands in Italy and other countries around the globe.

According to The Vatican News, the Vatican Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Pope had to quickly reorganise the way Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Mass are celebrated this year during the Covid-19 lockdown.

While Pope Francis will preside over them without the physical presence of the faithful, fortunate millions will join him spiritually through the media. Radio, television and the internet will allow the Pope to be close to those unable to participate in the liturgies of this unique Easter Triduum.

The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed thousands of victims around the world has seen virtually all church gatherings cancelled.

The Easter holidays celebrations as people have become used to, will not be the same this year.

Many churches will be livestreaming Easter holidays services as the country is under lockdown which does not allow big gatherings.

“I had never imagined that I would be spending such an important holiday at home instead of being up and about preparing church programmes,” said Mavis Makoni, a devout Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) member.

The SDA, like all other churches around the country, cancelled its weekly services as it prepared for a period of long-distance worship with congregants encouraged to turn to digital platforms.

It’s not only the churches that are feeling the impact of Covid-19 during the Easter holidays but businesses will also be adversely affected.

Shops in the Bulawayo Central Business District in a bid to cash in on the Easter holidays usually run promotions during such holidays but its different this year as very few people will be in town due to the lockdown. -@RaymondJaravaza