MANILA, Philippines — Catholic Churches in the country are all set to welcome throngs of parishioners at the start of the nine-day Simbang Gabi or predawn masses on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

But Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Committee on Public Affairs, stressed that government-issued health protocols shall be observed in all churches.

“We were always ready. It’s part of our life,” Secillano said when asked about the readiness of churches for the first Simbang Gabi in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CBCP acknowledges the guidelines under the “new normal” and enjoins the Catholic faithful to strictly observe social distancing, wear face masks and face shields and abide by curfew hours.

The CBCP has instructed bishops and priests to comply with the limited number of people allowed inside the church during religious services, depending on the community quarantine level in their respective areas.

Earlier, Secillano said that as an extra precautionary measure, priests have shortened their homilies and limited church hymns due to studies that singing increases the risk of transmitting COVID-19.

In order to accommodate more of the faithful, the CBCP also instructed churches to adjust the time of scheduled Simbang Gabi masses, depending on the curfew hours imposed in their areas.

“The bishop of the place, in consultation with the pastors of the parishes and in coordination with the LGU, could schedule more Simbang Gabi masses in different venues, which can be large enough to accommodate more people and still observe social distancing,” the CBCP said.

As the threat of COVID-19 lingers, Secillano said the Church respects the decision of the faithful if they opt not to physically attend Simbang Gabi and instead hear the masses online.

For those going to church, the CBCP encourages them to bring their own image of the infant Jesus because they are still prohibited from touching religious images in the church.