LAHORE: After an unprecedented eight week hiatus, Christians in the eastern province of Punjab returned to church for mass on Sunday under strict coronavirus protocols.
Mass services in Pakistan’s churches were suspended on March 22 as authorities banned large gatherings at religious places of worship to contain the spread of the life-threatening virus. Last month, the government allowed Muslims to pray in mosques during the month of Ramadan but church services had remained halted.
On Monday, an official notification was issued by Punjab’s Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department to allow the reopening of mosques subject to stringent social distancing procedures.
“The faithful gathered at the church after several weeks and thanked God for allowing them into His home,” Pastor Shahid Meraj, head of Cathedral Church on Lahore’s historic Mall Road, told Arab News on Sunday.
Only 26 members of the church were allowed into the service at the small United Holiness Church in Lahore on Sunday, May 17, 2020. (Photo courtesy: United Holiness Church)
Over 130 years old, the Cathedral Church is one of the city’s oldest Christian places of worship with the capacity to accommodate up to 2,000 people. Ordinarily, church management said it holds three services every Sunday with over 700 people in attendance. This was the first time in the history of the church, they said, that services had been suspended.
“It is the first occasion in the history of the church that we closed our doors to our followers. [Instead] we went for an online service. On average, 300 people joined us on Facebook [every Sunday]. We reduced the duration of worship from one hour to 20 minutes in pandemic days,” Pastor Meraj said.
Pastor Shahid Meraj leads mass services at the historic Cathedral Church in Lahore on Sunday, May 17, 2020. (Photo courtesy: Cathedral Church Lahore)
For Christians in Pakistan adhering to the government’s lockdown restrictions for almost two months, the festival of Easter too, came and went last month without any religious services.
The Punjab government began easing lockdown restrictions in the province last week, and though no official notification was received by church authorities until Monday, they cautiously re-opened their doors to followers for Sunday mass.
“Social distancing was ensured and distance between the people was more than six feet,” Pastor Meraj said.
The pastor said church management had ensured people came in wearing masks, with hand sanitizers provided on arrival and with places marked for followers to sit with a six feet distance between them. Children and the elderly had been requested not to attend services and only one person of a family was allowed while the rest were encouraged to follow the church service via live streaming on Facebook.
Only 26 members of the church were allowed into the service at the small United Holiness Church in Lahore on Sunday, May 17, 2020. (Photo courtesy: United Holiness Church)
At another Church situated at Forman Christian College Lahore, the management said they allowed people in only after they called in advance to book a slot to the small church. Eventually, only 26 people were allowed in to ensure safe distancing.
“It is moment of pleasure and thanks that we are again in the home of God,” Pastor Tariq Zia, head of the United Holiness Church, told Arab News.
“We are here after eight weeks to bow our heads before Him.”
Though few, the followers allowed in to attend the service said they were overjoyed they could come to church once more.
“I am thankful to God for allowing me into His home and also thanks to the government for easing restrictions,” Shakil George, a member at the United Holiness Church, told Arab News.
“I am the only member of my family inside the church while my parents joined the service on Facebook live while at home,” he added.
“The admin told us only a limited number of people could come in due to shortage of space.”
