After two months of suspension due to coronavirus, Jazira churches perform Sunday prayers

Qamishli – North-Press Agency
Reem Chamoun – Charbel Hanou

On Sunday, Syriac Orthodox Churches resumed regular prayers in the presence of a number of worshippers, after stopping for nearly two months due to the measures imposed by the Autonomous Administration to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in its areas.

Today, the Archdiocese of Jazira and the Euphrates issued a decision by St. Maurice Amsih, the Bishop of Jazira and the Euphrates, for the Syriac Orthodox to open churches with the participation of worshippers on Sundays only, starting today.

 
The decision emphasized the sterilization of churches before and after prayers, the sterilization of the worshippers’ hands before entering the church, and urged people to wear masks during prayer in order to preserve public health.

The decision clarified that worshippers should abide by physical distancing when sitting in pews, provided that all meetings related to church institutions and pastoral activities remain suspended until further notice, and that condolences for the dead should occur only during funerals.

During the lockdown period, church prayers were limited to priests and a limited number of deacons, without the presence of worshippers, and for the first time witnessed the absence of rituals and celebrations of the Holy Week and Easter in order to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus.