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Shuttered by the coronavirus outbreak, France's Lourdes Roman Catholic shrine marked the start of “Holy Week”, an event that normally draws millions of pilgrims every year, with not a soul in sight, AFP reports.
Its doors closed since March 17, for the first time in its history, the sanctuary in the southwest France is instead reaching out to the faithful using television and social media.
“It is certain that for us, like for all Catholics, the Holy Week and Easter will be experienced in a very special way this year,” said Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector of the Sanctuary of Lourdes.
Holy Week leads up to Easter Sunday on April 11.
