Coronavirus In Philadelphia: Overbrook Church Offers Drive-Thru Sacrament Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is trying to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Archbishop Nelson Perez presided over Sunday mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on Sunday, but he suspended the obligation for Catholics to attend until further notice.

Most of the pews were empty.

The mass was live-streamed on the church's website.

Meanwhile, a church in Overbrook offered a drive-thru sacrament on Sunday. The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas delivered the sacrament of holy eucharist and a blessing to congregants.

They drove through their covered carport on Lancaster Avenue.

Father Martini Shaw sanitized his hands between each congregant and congregants sanitized their hands before accepting the sacrament.

"We felt that it was necessary to still allow people to come and worship. It's a different form of worship but it's still worship," Shaw said.