KOCHI: Majority of the devotees and Hindu organisations are against the decision to open temples at a time when Covid cases are peaking in the state. The Kshetra Samrakshana Samithi, which manages over 3,000 temples, is against the reopening on Tuesday. Over 48 temples under the trusteeship of the Zamorin Raja of Calicut will also not open for the time being. All temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board have been sanitised for reopening on Tuesday. Handwashing facilities will be provided at all temples. Cochin Devaswom Board has informed that all temples under it, including the Vadakunnathan temple and Chottanikkara temples will be opened from June 9. Malabar Devaswom has decided to reopen major temples among the 349 temples administered by it, but only darshan will be allowed.
Various Church denominations came out with a statement on Monday announcing that churches need not be opened under situations in which safety cannot be ensured. Now, it is left for the respective dioceses and individual churches to decide whether they should reopen the churches for public worship.
“Churches should be opened for worship only if the restrictions can be strictly followed. Under circumstances in which safety cannot be ensured, there is no need to open churches,” said Fr Varghese Vallikkatt, spokesperson of Kerala Catholic Bishops Council, in a statement. As per KCBC, archdioceses can decide with regard to their local situation.
Recently, Changanassery and Ernakulam-Angamaly archdioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church decided to defer the reopening till June 30. Various dioceses of the Latin Church, including Kottapuram, Verapoly and Cochin, have also announced their decision to not open the churches. Joseph Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan Trustee of Jacobite Church, in a press statement, urged the priests to open churches only in areas where it is safe. Churches will be opened taking all precautionary measures and Holy Communion will not be given to the faithful.
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is yet to take a decision on the reopening of churches. According to officials, a decision will be taken after the Synod meeting on Tuesday.The Mar Thoma Church has decided against reopening for the time being. Since children under 10 and those above 65 years form an integral part of worshippers, conducting prayers without them will not be ideal, Joseph Marthoma, Metropolitan of the Church said.
Various Church denominations came out with a statement on Monday announcing that churches need not be opened under situations in which safety cannot be ensured. Now, it is left for the respective dioceses and individual churches to decide whether they should reopen the churches for public worship.“Churches should be opened for worship only if the restrictions can be strictly followed. Under circumstances in which safety cannot be ensured, there is no need to open churches,” said Fr Varghese Vallikkatt, spokesperson of Kerala Catholic Bishops Council, in a statement. As per KCBC, archdioceses can decide with regard to their local situation.
Recently, Changanassery and Ernakulam-Angamaly archdioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church decided to defer the reopening till June 30. Various dioceses of the Latin Church, including Kottapuram, Verapoly and Cochin, have also announced their decision to not open the churches. Joseph Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan Trustee of Jacobite Church, in a press statement, urged the priests to open churches only in areas where it is safe. Churches will be opened taking all precautionary measures and Holy Communion will not be given to the faithful.
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is yet to take a decision on the reopening of churches. According to officials, a decision will be taken after the Synod meeting on Tuesday.The Mar Thoma Church has decided against reopening for the time being. Since children under 10 and those above 65 years form an integral part of worshippers, conducting prayers without them will not be ideal, Joseph Marthoma, Metropolitan of the Church said.