Ruadhán Jones
Father Jose Maria Galvan, wearing a sanitary mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 opens the door for the morning mass at St. Eugenio Church, in Rome.
Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/AP The Government’s six-month Covid-19 plan, announced on Tuesday, proposes bans on all religious services except funerals and weddings for level three warnings upward.
The country is currently at a level two warning, the maximum being five, which means religious services can take place with up to 50 people attending.
The plan recognises the need to maintain “some level of access” to religious services as part of a response to the mental strain many are experiencing.
For levels one and two, religious services will continue in their present form, while for level three upwards, services will have to move online while places of worship will remain open.
Certain ‘life events’, including weddings and funerals, will be given the greatest priority when other social events are restricted.
For levels three and four, 25 mourners will allowed to attend funerals, dropping down to 10 for level five.