Richmond church hosts drive-thru Palm Sunday

Amid growing fears of a spreading pandemic that demands social distancing and countless cancellations to gatherings the world over, churchgoers in Virginia enjoyed an alternative take to this year's Palm Sunday.

Father Mike Renninger and a group of parishioners at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Richmond, organized a drive-thru service inviting faithful to drive up and pick up their palms.

One by one, cars drove up to a cheerful Renninger, who greeted them and offered prayers.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis celebrated Mass and blessed palms for Palm Sunday in a near-empty St Peter's Basilica.

Worldwide, more than 1.2 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 65,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The true numbers are certainly much higher, due to limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments.

The vast majority of infected people recover from the virus, which is spread by microscopic droplets from coughs or sneezes.

For most people, the virus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia and lead to death.