This weekend's global events were captured in a series of powerful photographs, highlighting both conflict in the Middle East and diverse religious observances around the world. The images provide a stark contrast between destruction and celebration, offering a glimpse into current affairs from multiple perspectives.
Middle East Tensions Escalate
In Tehran, Iran, the aftermath of a strike at Shahid Beheshti University shows significant damage to its research building, as documented by Majid Asgaripour for Reuters. Additionally, the historic Golestan Palace, a Unesco-listed site often compared to Versailles, suffered interior damage. A senior cultural official in Tehran reported that since the war began, US and Israeli strikes have damaged at least 120 museums and cultural sites across Iran.
In Israel, a woman in Ramat Gan inspects her apartment, which was damaged by an Iranian missile, captured by Maya Levin of AP. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, missiles launched by Iran in retaliation for attacks by the US and Israel were seen in the skies over Hebron on 4 April, photographed by Wisam Hashlamoun for Anadolu/Getty Images.
Lebanon and Regional Impact
In southern Lebanon, smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Tyre, as shown in a photograph by Adnan Abidi for Reuters. The conflict has displaced many, with two men in Beirut who fled Israeli bombings sleeping in their cars and sitting on benches along the Mediterranean Sea promenade, captured by Emilio Morenatti for AP.
In Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, walked with Franciscan friars to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for an Easter Sunday mass held behind closed doors due to the conflict. Due to the US-Israel war on Iran, Christian worshippers were barred from entering the church, and Jewish worshippers were prevented from praying at the Western Wall for the Birkat Kohanim ritual during Passover, as seen in a photograph by Alexi Rosenfeld for Getty Images.
Global Easter and Religious Observances
Easter celebrations took place worldwide amidst varying circumstances. In Havana, Cuba, the Stations of the Cross of the Holy Burial were observed during Good Friday, with Cuba observing Holy Week amid a pardon of over 2,000 prisoners and an energy crisis exacerbated by the US oil embargo, photographed by Ernesto Mastrascusa for EPA.
In Bialy Dunajec, Poland, children dressed in traditional mountain costumes waited for a priest to bless Easter baskets on Holy Saturday, a tradition involving eggs, sausage, bread, salt, and pepper, captured by Jozef Niedzialek for EPA. In Taybeh, West Bank, altar servers collected offerings at the Orthodox Palm Sunday mass in the mostly Christian town, photographed by Zain Jaafar for AFP/Getty Images.
Other Religious Events
At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV presided over Easter mass in St Peter's Square, with a procession of priests photographed by Alessandra Tarantino for AP. In Kyiv, Ukraine, St Michael's golden-domed monastery was seen on Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week in the Orthodox church, captured by Martyn Aim for Getty Images. In Cairo, Egypt, Coptic Orthodox Christians celebrated Palm Sunday in the Samaan el-Kharaz monastery, photographed by Mohamed Abd El Ghany for Reuters.
In Myanmar, Shan people participated in the traditional water festival, Thingyan, involving splashing water and using powders or thanaka paste to cleanse sins, captured by Nyein Chan Naing for EPA. In Nepal, tourists gathered to watch the sunrise from Ama Yangri Peak near Kathmandu, photographed by Niranjan Shrestha for AP.
Space and Natural Events
From space, Nasa astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman captured a picture of Earth from the Orion spacecraft's window after completing the translunar injection burn, provided by Nasa/Reid Wiseman/EPA. On Earth, in Moreno Valley, US, firefighters from the Pechanga fire department monitored a fast-growing wildfire in California, photographed by Terry Pierson for The Orange County Register/AP.
These photographs, selected by The Guardian's picture editors, offer a comprehensive view of the weekend's events, blending conflict, culture, and natural phenomena into a vivid global narrative.
