Millions of Orthodox Christians in Europe, the Middle East and Africa are celebrating Easter, arguably the most important celebration on their calendar, under tight restrictions this weekend as the coronavirus pandemic has remolded their centuries-old traditions.

But the church in the former Soviet republic of Georgia has defied measures intended to stem the spread of the virus. Hundreds of worshipers gathered in churches despite the government’s declaration of a state of emergency and calls from bishops in various regions for believers to stay home, Reuters reported.

In television footage, some faithful could be seen kissing church icons and drinking from the same spoon during Communion. The Georgian prime minister has said that the government was trying to strike a balance: Churches have been kept open to help citizens meet their spiritual needs. But the authorities have steered clear of cracking down in the pews.

In Jerusalem, the Holy Fire ceremony was held in a near-empty church. Believers usually flock to see the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem come out of the Edicule, a shrine built where Christians believe Jesus was buried 2,000 years ago, holding candles lit by the flame. This year, most of the priests at the ceremony wore masks.

Many Orthodox Christians in Greece, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria and other countries could not attend the late-night services on Holy Saturday, since churches remained closed to the public. They instead turned to their TV sets to watch Resurrection services.

Bulgaria imposed a curfew on the capital, Sofia, in order to stop people from leaving the city for the Easter holiday, the BBC reported. The Greek government had for days been cautioning citizens not to travel across the country or gather in groups at home on Easter Sunday. Many citizens opted to roast the traditional lamb on their balconies.