Orthodox Christians in Gaza celebrate Palm Sunday

(9 Apr 2023) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Gaza City, Gaza Strip - 9 April 2023 1. Various of worshippers lighting and placing at St. Porphyrius Church 2. Various of Archbishop Alexios leading service 3. Various of worshippers at mass 4. Various of choir singing 5. Various of mass 6. Various of worshippers at mass 7. Various of worshippers and Archbishop Alexios outside church celebrating Palm Sunday STORYLINE: Dozens of Palestinian Christians gathered in Gaza City for a mass marking Palm Sunday. The faithful, members of the Gaza Strip’s Orthodox Christian community, prayed At the St. Porphyrius Church. Sunday is Easter in the Western Christian calendar, and is Palm Sunday for Eastern Orthodox Christians. Among its 2.3 million Muslim residents, Gaza now posts a tiny Christian population of less than 1,000. This year the holiday coincides with the Jewish holiday of Passover and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Rising tensions in Jerusalem and a surge by in Israeli-Palestinian violence cast a shadow on the Holy Week of Easter. The sound of Israeli unmanned drones buzzed constantly overhead. The service at the church comes two days after Israeli military and Palestinian militants traded cross-border fire. AP video shot by Mohammad Jahjouh =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel 44(0)2074827482 Email: info@. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: