In pictures: Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed on Easter

In normal times, thousands of Christian pilgrims flock into the city of Jerusalem to visit the Edicule of the Tomb at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the historic Old City.

The church is believed to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

But not this year. The Holy Sepulchre was closed on 25 March over fears of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed the lives of 93 people in Israel and one woman in the occupied West Bank. 

Here, a worker cleans the locked door of the Holy Sepulchre after its closure last month. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

The church's keymaster has said it is the first time since the Black Death of 1349 that the Holy Sepulchre is closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 

This has left monks and other worshippers resorting to standing and praying by the closed front door of the church. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

A nun prays in front of the closed front door of the Holy Sepulchre. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

A man passes food through a hole in the closed front door of the Holy Sepulchre.

The church is administered and served by several Christian denominations, whose clerics live in the vicinity of the building. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

A priest looks through a hole in the closed door of the Holy Sepulchre Church, as the custodian in charge of the key stands behind him. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP)

The scene through a hole in the closed door of the Holy Sepulchre, showing Greek Orthodox priests inside. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP)

This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.