Church services to be limited to 50 attendees due to COVID-19: Cardinal

• Calls on devotees to adhere strictly to health regulations during church services
• Requests Catholics to keep celebrations within family and help those affected by COVID-19

Church services including midnight mass on Christmas Eve will be limited to 50 persons along with adherence to strict health regulations, Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said yesterday.

Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith addressing the media yesterday

Hourly Christmas services in Catholic churches will begin at 6 p.m. on 24 December in place of the usual single midnight service to enable devotees to attend church while adhering to health guidelines, Cardinal Ranjith told reporters at a press briefing.

“Christmas masses will be arranged by parish priests according to the needs of each parish subjected to health guidelines. I request Catholics not to move from district to district to visit relatives due to the heightened risk of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

He also requested those celebrating Christmas to confine the celebrations to immediate family and assist those who have lost their jobs and are facing financial crisis as a result of COVID-19. 

“Invite such a family to celebrate Christmas with you or send them a meal or dry rations,” he said.

The Cardinal also requested the Government and private institutions to refrain from holding parties and get-togethers this Christmas and instead focus on spirituality other than extravagant celebrations.

The midnight service will be conducted by Cardinal Ranjith at St. Sebastian’s Church Kandana while Bishop Maxwell Silva will conduct the service at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine Kimbulapitiya.

Bishop Antony Jayakody will conduct the service at St. Sebastian’s Church Moratuwa while the Tamil mass will be conducted by Bishop Anton Ranjith at St. Sylvester’s Church Ettukala and Apostolate Nuncio Ambassador of the Vatican Ambassador in Sri Lanka Archbishop Brian Udaigwe will conduct the English service from All Saints Church Borella.

The church services will be telecast live on various TV channels.