Dark hallways of Jerusalem's Sepulchre church eerily empty

A general view shows Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered as the site of Jesus's crucifixion and burial, as a prayer session takes place inside the church amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Jerusalem's Old City March 22, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Religious chants echoed on Sunday through almost empty prayer chambers and passageways in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with coronavirus precautions limiting attendance at the place revered as the site of Jesus's crucifixion and burial.

The small congregation contrasted starkly with the crowds of Christian pilgrims who normally fill the church in the lead-up to the Easter holiday.