England cathedrals to broadcast Easter services online

London, April 10 Two of England's well-known cathedrals will broadcast Easter services online amid a lockdown in the UK due to the coronavirus pandemic, the media reported on Friday.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will lead the first national digital Easter Sunday service from his kitchen, the BBC reported.

Prince Charles, who had tested positive for coronavirus last month, will also feature in the service which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and on the Church of England's website and Facebook page from 9 a.m. on Sunday.

The Archbishop normally preaches to a congregation of about 1,500 people at Canterbury Cathedral on Easter morning.

The oldest bell at the cathedral will also toll every evening in remembrance of those who have died from coronavirus, and celebrate those working on the front line.

The 17th Century bell, named Harry, will ring out over Canterbury at 8 p.m. every day.

Meanwhile, the Dean of York, Rt Revd Jonathan Frost, will also host a special video service at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

This comes as a total of 7,978 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, up by 881 on Wednesday.

There were now a total of 65,872 confirmed cases in the country.

On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the ongoing lockdown restrictions will stay in place until evidence showed the UK had moved beyond the peak of the virus, the BBC reported.

He acknowledged it was hard for people hoping to go out and be with their families over Easter, but urged restraint.

( With inputs from IANS )