According to the French Interior Ministry, French authorities will allow religious gatherings after a two-month ban due to the new coronavirus pandemic, but worshippers will have to wear masks.
The ministry said that it would issue a decree setting out new rules for religious gatherings. Moreover, the ban on gatherings imposed in March will be lifted as part of state efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
However, the ministry said in a statement that mass prayer should meet certain conditions, including the use of a mask, social distancing of at least one metre between worshippers and hand washing. The French government eased some of the restrictive measures earlier this month but did not lift the ban on mass prayer. This provoked protests from religious organisations for unfair treatment. The ministry said that the congregation was expected to be allowed in early June. But some groups of worshippers will be able to pray together as soon as the new rules were made public “within the next few hours.”
Source: ANA-MPA
