Christian Churches in Syria and Lebanon decided to suspend all services in compliance with the protective measures taken by their governments against the coronavirus outbreak.
As they pointed out in their statement, “Based on the recent developments of the spread of the COVID-19 (Corona) virus, and the new measures taken by local governments to prevent the spread of this epidemic, we pray God to have mercy on us and guide everyone to rationality and appropriate actions. In addition, they stressed “the necessity to comply fully with the official health guidelines.”
Christian churches will take the following decisions in order to protect the faithful:
– The suspension of all general prayer services, including liturgies, in all churches. All funerals must be held in the cemetery churches exclusively (in case there is one other than the parish church) in the presence of the parish priest and the family of the deceased, without accepting condolences.
-All meetings and activities are suspended such as vigils, excursions, ceremonies, celebrations, exhibitions, competitions and others.
Finally, the Christian Churches urge, in the statement, the priests and the faithful to avoid “all kinds of mass gatherings and the commitment to the stay-at-home policy, in order to prevent the threat of the epidemic, while expecting the believers to intensify their prayers for their safety and for their families.”
Read the full statement issued by the Christian Churches in Syria and Lebanon below:
Based on the recent developments of the spread of the COVID-19 (Corona) virus, and the new measures taken by local governments to prevent the spread of this epidemic, we pray God to have mercy on us and guide everyone to rationality and appropriate actions, strengthening all healthcare teams that are serving, and healing all infected people in the world. Also, we call on our children to abide by the following:
1- The necessity to comply fully with the official health guidelines.
2- The suspension of all general prayer services, including liturgies, in all churches from today’s date and until further notice.
3- All funerals must be held in the cemetery churches exclusively (in case there is one other than the parish church) in the presence of the parish priest and the family of the deceased, without accepting condolences.
4- All meetings and activities are suspended such as vigils, excursions, ceremonies, celebrations, exhibitions, competitions and others.
5- The avoidance of all kinds of mass gatherings and the commitment to the stay-at-home policy, in order to prevent the threat of the epidemic, while expecting the believers to intensify their prayers for their safety and for their families.
Again, we reiterate our petition for your protection, and for the peace of the world.
Issued by Their Beatitudes and Holinesses, the Patriarchs and Primates of the Christian Churches
March 21, 2020
