Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar Joseph Mar Thoma on Monday said its churches would not be opened in haste from Tuesday. The Church would continue with the online worship system until the COVID-induced crisis eased.
In a statement here, the Metropolitan said the Church realised the difficulties in properly conducting liturgical services against the backdrop of the stringent guidelines issued by the government.
The Mar Thoma Church’s common practice was for ensuring participation of believers above the age of 65 years and children below the age of 10 years too in the services held at its churches.
He said the Church believed that keeping members of a particular age group outside the church during the liturgical services was not desirable.
The Metropolitan said Church members had been attending the virtual Sunday service held at the Pulatheen chapel in Thiruvalla online ever since the beginning of the nationwide lockdown on March 24. This system would continue for the time being, he said.
Jacobite Syrian Church
Meanwhile, the Jacobite Syrian Church on Monday decided to open its churches under the dioceses of Kollam and Niranom for liturgical services only after June 30.
In a statement here, Metropolitan of the Niranom diocese Geevarhese Mar Coorilos and Metropolitan of the Kollam diocese Mathews Mar Theodoseus said the Church was bound to protect the life and health of the believers, besides taking necessary steps to check the spread of diseases.
Hence, all churches attached to both the dioceses would continue to hold the holy eucharist, permitting only five persons, including priests, adhering to the COVID-19 protocol, they said.