Bulgarian churches open for Easter, but only most devout go

Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte leads the Palm Sunday service in Alexander Nevski cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria, April 12, 2020. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

SOFIA (Reuters) - Clad in protective masks and gloves, a few dozen pious Orthodox Christians prayed for health on Sunday at the Bulgarian capital Sofia's expansive Saint Nedelya Cathedral, in one of the few nations where churches are open over the Easter holidays.

While most Bulgarians stayed home out of fear of the coronavirus pandemic, Spaska Gentcheva, a 48-year-old lawyer, said she was thankful to be allowed to attend the Palm Sunday service.