Churches told to strictly adhere to COVID-19 norms on the premises
Mount Mary Church, Bandra, on Thursday. Pic/Shadab Khan
In light of worsening COVID-19 situation, churches will be conducting online services in addition to multiple Masses for the c— from March 28 to April 4 — which includes Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Sermons will be circulated on social media platforms.
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The Maharashtra Home Department, in a circular issued recently, outlined guidelines for the Holy Week. Big churches across the Archdiocese of Bombay can have a maximum of worshippers at a time, while smaller ones can allow 10-25 worshippers, it stated.
In both cases, COVID-19 protocols such as physical distancing, use of hand sanitiser, face masks inside the church must be followed. It also stated that churches can organise four to five masses in a day, so as to reduce the number of worshippers gathering inside.
“Online services should be conducted and the sermon should be circulated through social media platforms [and messaging apps] like WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, etc,” reads the communication from the home department. It added that big gatherings or assemblies outside churches should be avoided. “No religious programs, rallies or procession are to be organised.”
More instructions soon
“Multiple physical Masses will be held per day so that more people can attend the Mass without breaching the maximum permitted number of worshippers,” said Father Nigel Barrett, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Bombay. “Further instructions will be issued soon, but all the guidelines and restrictions that were in place during Christmas are back once again.”
On March 18, a Christian delegation of the Maharashtra Christian Development Forum had met Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Sunil Kolhe with regard to the functioning of churches and the Holy Mass/service during the season of Lent and the upcoming Holy Week. “The requisite government guidelines/notification should be followed with safety norms like sanitisation, wearing of masks, etc ,” said advocate Cyril Dara, a member of the Forum.
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