Italians will be able to attend Mass starting May 18 after a meeting between top bishops and Italy’s prime minister resulted in a plan to reopen religious services after they were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic.
When the churches do reopen, there will be stringent guidelines in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Restrictions will include priests wearing gloves while giving communion and churchgoers wearing face masks. Additionally, collection plates will be set aside in favor of bins at church entrances, where adherents can place money safely.
The move comes the same week as the country’s church leaders blasted Italy’s government for “arbitrarily excluding the possibility of celebrating Mass with the people.”
Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, praised the reopening and emphasized the ability for the church to work with the government.
“The protocol is the fruit of a profound collaboration and synergy between the government, the Scientific and Technical Committee, and [the Italian Bishops’ Conference], in which each did his part responsibly,” said Bassetti, according to Religion News Service.
This month Italy, which was one of the first and hardest-hit countries during the pandemic, has begun the process of reemerging from its strict lockdown. Italy has had more than 218,000 cases of COVID-19, resulting in about 30,000 deaths.
