Worship takes the wheel at German Good Friday drive-in

Dusseldorf: Hundreds of Christians in the German city Duesseldorf found a creative way to celebrate Good Friday while respecting social distancing rules imposed to slow the coronavirus, coming together for a "drive-in" service on a massive car park.

Most worshippers followed the mass - conducted on a small stage by a skeleton crew of Catholic and evangelical clergy - from behind the windscreen.

But a few keen heads could be seen poking out of open roofs into the spring sunshine, while other members of the congregation lowered the tops of their convertibles to perch on the backs of the seats.

"Of course it was a sad feeling at first, because I would have liked to be in my church... (but) with this car service we're trying to create a little bit of community," Catholic priest Frank Heidkamp told AFP.

"When people are praying and singing together in their cars, that can be an encouraging sign for them that they're not alone."

From compact city runarounds to flashy SUVs and even the odd scooter, the vehicles of the faithful lined up side-by-side in parking spaces usually reserved for visitors at the Duesseldorf convention grounds.

People booked free tickets online in advance, offering them up for scans through the closed windows of their cars.

Even city mayor Thomas Geisel and his wife could be spotted among the glass-and-metal ranks.

"We wanted to make the most of the opportunity and participate in an Easter service, when you're here in person it's very different from watching on the internet," said attendee Dana Baerwald.

Catholic priest Frank Heidkamp, left, and Evangelical priest Heinrich Fuchs, right, stand together on a podium after a Good Friday church service at a drive-in cinema