Jerusalem's old city is empty on Good Friday due to ongoing wars

Normally bustling with Christians and tourists on Good Friday Jerusalem's Old City this year (April 3) was deserted, shops closed and pilgrims absent.

Traditionally thousands of pilgrims and local Christians walk the Via Dolorosa re-enacting Jesus Christ's final path to his crucifixion. It is normally led by Franciscan friars and the procession covers 14 Stations of the Cross through the Old City's, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 

"It is usually crowded, but now it's empty, there is nobody here," said on resident, Teresa Himo.

The Via Dolorosa starts from the Ecce Homo Convent and leads to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and along the route there are the 14 "Stations of the Cross". The first station is where Jesus was believed to have been condemned to death. The last is the tomb where Christians believe he was buried. In between, at the 7th station, Jesus is said to have fallen a second time as he carried the cross.

Residents said it was the ongoing war in the region that had filled people with fear this year.

Good Friday is taking place as Israel carries out strikes against Lebanon and Iran, supported by U.S. President Donald Trump who threatened to escalate the war, targeting energy and fuel facilities in the Gulf, which could again roil global energy and financial markets and deepen a regional crisis.

Nearly five weeks after it started with a joint U.S.-Israeli aerial assault, the war in Iran continues to spread chaos across the region.

-Sinan Abu Mayzer, Juarawee Kittisilpa/Reuters