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Copts Celebrate Christmas Amid Strict Covid-19 Precautions

Published January 9th, 2021 - 07:19 GMT

Millions of Copts in Egypt and Ethiopia marked Christmas Mass from their homes amid strict precautionary measures over the Covid-19 crisis.

In Egypt, Coptic churches celebrated Christmas on January 6th, However, public attendance at religious festivals were banned across the country.

On the other hand, Ethiopia's celebration is referred to as Gena, and is usually a time when Christians unite to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Sudanese Copts were able to catch Christmas midnight mass in Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021.

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Ethiopian refugee children who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, in front of an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP

Ethiopian refugee children who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, in front of an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP

Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, inside an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan,late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP

Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, inside an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan,late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP

A Sudanese Coptic priest heads the Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP

A Sudanese Coptic priest heads the Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP

A Sudanese Copticwoman attends Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP

A Sudanese Copticwoman attends Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP

Sudanese Copts attend Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP

Sudanese Copts attend Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP

An Egyptian Christians worshipper stands by a nativity scene as he attends the Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP

An Egyptian Christians worshipper stands by a nativity scene as he attends the Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP

An Egyptian Coptic priest (C) holds Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP

An Egyptian Coptic priest (C) holds Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP

An Ethiopian refugee who fled the Tigray conflict stands outside an Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, on Coptic Christmas day at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP

An Ethiopian refugee who fled the Tigray conflict stands outside an Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, on Coptic Christmas day at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP

Ethiopian refugee children who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, in front of an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, inside an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan,late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
A Sudanese Coptic priest heads the Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
A Sudanese Copticwoman attends Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
Sudanese Copts attend Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
An Egyptian Christians worshipper stands by a nativity scene as he attends the Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP
An Egyptian Coptic priest (C) holds Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP
An Ethiopian refugee who fled the Tigray conflict stands outside an Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, on Coptic Christmas day at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
Ethiopian refugee children who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, in front of an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
Ethiopian refugee children who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, in front of an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, inside an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan,late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict attend the Coptic Christmas midnight mass with local believers, inside an Ethiopian Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan,late on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
A Sudanese Coptic priest heads the Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
A Sudanese Coptic priest heads the Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
A Sudanese Copticwoman attends Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
A Sudanese Copticwoman attends Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
Sudanese Copts attend Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
Sudanese Copts attend Christmas midnight mass at the capital Khartoum's Martyrs Church late on January 6, 2021, as the Orthodox Christian faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. Ebrahim HAMID / AFP
An Egyptian Christians worshipper stands by a nativity scene as he attends the Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP
An Egyptian Christians worshipper stands by a nativity scene as he attends the Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP
An Egyptian Coptic priest (C) holds Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP
An Egyptian Coptic priest (C) holds Christmas Eve mass at the Coptic Catholic St. Mark Church in Minya city, some 245 kilometres south of the capital Cairo on January 6, 2021. Roger ANIS / AFP
An Ethiopian refugee who fled the Tigray conflict stands outside an Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, on Coptic Christmas day at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP
An Ethiopian refugee who fled the Tigray conflict stands outside an Orthodox church built by former Ethiopian refugees, on Coptic Christmas day at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, on January 6, 2021. ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP

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