KOCHI: As a part of cooperating with the government in its efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church on Thursday announced that churchgoers are exempted from the Sunday obligation in attending the Holy Mass till any further notice.
The order was issued by Archbishop Antony Kariyil, the Metropolitan Vicar of the Ernakulam Angamaly Major Archdiocese. "From March 20, only less than 15 people should attend the mass. In such an emergency situation, I exempt the faithful from the obligation to attend mass on Sunday. Confessions should also be avoided," Mar Kariyil said in his statement.
"Holy Mass during Sundays are very hard for Christians to miss, but here in this emergency situation we should be self-distance ourselves from spreading it to others. All faithful should follow the guidelines issued by the health department. Faithful can pray from their homes and God will hear them. The 15 faithful mentioned might be considering the Holy Mass intentions by faithful," said Fr Kuriakose Mundadan, a priest belonging to the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.
The observance of the holy week will also be modest in the wake of the COVID-19 threat. "People must be aware of the nature of the disaster and how contagious is it. We have never witnessed such a spread of the virus in our lifetime, this is the first incident in which such measures are adopted by the church to curb the spread of the disease," added Fr Mundadan.
The bishop urged priests to avoid visits to the families of parishioners and asked parishioners to pray at their home when the mass is held at the Church.
Earlier, Archbishop of Verapoly Archbishop Joseph Kalathilparambil had given vicars the power of General Absolution, enabling them to give a public blessing granting absolution to the faithful without conducting an oracular confession with the priest.