Philly-area churches are offering Easter services via live streaming. Here’s how to watch.

This will be an Easter weekend like no other, thanks to a coronavirus pandemic that will prevent parishioners in and around Philadelphia from gathering and worshiping together.

Thankfully, many churches in and around the city are planning to stream their weekend services online, offering some hope and a small amount of connection as worshippers remain in their homes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“It’s not the same as being in the same location and being united by being at the altar,” Rev. Ken Brabazon at St. Isidore Church in Quakertown told the Inquirer. “But it’s good to still be connected, if only in this way.”

Of the more than 200 parishes in the city and its suburbs, at least 63 are live-streaming or pre-recording Masses, as have several archdiocesan high schools.

Since the coronavirus shutdown, the virtual Masses offered by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have garnered more than 100,000 views, with as many as 50,000 tuning into a live stream service at one time, said spokesperson Kenneth Gavin. Last week, he added, nearly 65,000 people attended a virtual Lenten retreat leading up to Palm Sunday.

» FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

For comparison, the cathedral’s Easter Mass — typically among the most well-attended services — draws more than 1,000 people a year. Just under 200,000 people attended Mass across the entire archdiocese in October 2018, the last time the archdiocese conducted a “Mass census."

Here are some churches where the faithful in and around Philadelphia can “attend” virtual services during Easter weekend:

With the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul closed to the public during services, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will be broadcasting its Easter Mass on WHYY. The Mass will also be live-streamed on the archdiocese’s website and the Facebook page of Archbishop Nelson J. Perez, who is celebrating his first Easter in Philadelphia.

The Archdiocese’s virtual Palm Sunday Mass experienced technical difficulties, including no sound. A spokesperson said the glitches were due to working with a new “service provider to include real-time closed captioning for the Mass for the benefit of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.”

Some individual parishes and religious communities in the city and suburbs are also streaming their own Easter Mass. A list is on Catholic Philly’s website.

When: Saturday, April 11

Time: 8 p.m.

Officiant: Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez

Where: Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul

Streaming: Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s website, Facebook page, and on the Facebook page of Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez

When: Sunday, April 12

Time: 11 a.m.

Officiant: Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez

Where: Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia

TV: WHYY-TV12 (channel 812 for Comcast customers and 512 for Verizon FIOs customers)

Streaming: Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s website, Facebook page, and on the Facebook page of Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez

Bishop Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez will offer two Easter services Sunday, including a 5:30 a.m. Easter Eucharist that will air on CBS3. The diocese’s Easter Mass at 10 a.m. will steam on its YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Many local churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania are streaming their own Easter services. For a detailed breakdown of the times and locations for each church, visit the diocese’s website.

When: Sunday, April 12

Time: 5:30 a.m.

Officiant: Bishop Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez

Where: St. John’s at Diocesan Center, Norristown

TV: CBS3

Streaming: Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania YouTube channel and Facebook page.

When: Sunday, April 12

Time: 10 a.m.

Officiant: Bishop Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez

Where: Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral

Streaming: Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Bishop Dennis Sullivan will offer Easter services from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden that will stream on the diocese Facebook page and YouTube channel.

A list of local churches offering their own streaming services can be found on the diocese’s website.

When: Saturday, April 11

Time: 7 p.m.

Officiant: Bishop Dennis Sullivan

Where: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden

Streaming: Diocese of Camden YouTube channel and Facebook page

When: Sunday, April 12

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Officiant: Bishop Dennis Sullivan

Where: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden

Streaming: Diocese of Camden YouTube channel and Facebook page

Bishop William Stokes will offer Easter services from Trinity Cathedral in Trenton, which will be streamed on the diocese’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Congregants can also join via telephone by dialing 646-558-8656 and then entering meeting code 855 472 344.

A list of individual churches streaming their own Easter services can be found on the diocese’s web site.

When: Saturday, April 11

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Officiant: Bishop William Stokes

Where: Trinity Cathedral, Trenton

Streaming: Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey Facebook page and YouTube channel

When: Sunday, April 12

Time: 10 a.m.

Officiant: Bishop William Stokes

Where: Trinity Cathedral, Trenton

Streaming: Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey Facebook page and YouTube channel