Hundreds gather to bury Serbia's Patriarch, despite coronavirus surge

Priests stand by the casket of Serbia's late Patriarch Irinej, who died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), during funeral rites at Belgrade's St. Sava temple, in Belgrade, Serbia, November 22, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Hundreds of mourners, including country's president, gathered on Sunday for the funeral of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, who died aged 90 after contracting COVID-19.

Authorities hoped to avoid Patriarch Irinej's funeral becoming a place where coronavirus might spread.